Discover Scottish Youth Parliament’s new manifesto web hub

Date: 18th June 2021
Category: General principles

The web hub details what changes young people wish to see over the next five years as part of SYP’s ‘From Scotland’s Young People’ Manifesto.

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Scottish Government launches new youth justice strategy

Date: 18th June 2021
Category: Child justice system

This strategy looks at how Scotland can: meet the UNCRC obligations, provide information and support is provided for victims, use trauma informed approaches, extend the child hearing system for all 16- and 17-year-olds and work towards having no child in a Young Offenders Institution where possible and appropriate.

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Academic warns domestic abuse is often ignored in child contact disputes

Date: 18th June 2021
Category: Equal protection from violence

Despite legal requirements to consider domestic abuse in child contact decisions, research reveals victims are sometimes told by solicitors not to disclose domestic abuse in child contact disputes.

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Safeguarding in schools: complete the survey now!

Date: 18th June 2021
Category: Protection from abuse or neglect

Teachers, designated safeguarding leads and designated child protection officers are encouraged to take part in two short surveys to aid a study into human rights and safeguarding in schools across the UK.

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UK Government commits to raising the legal age of marriage to 18 in England and Wales

Date: 18th June 2021
Category: Equal protection from violence

Sixteen and 17-year-olds can marry in England and Wales with parental consent, putting them at risk of being coerced into child marriage. Following the voicing of serious concerns to the UK Government by a range of organisations working to end child marriage, the Ministry of Justice has said it is committed to raising the minimum legal age to 18 “as soon as legislative opportunity arises”.

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UN Committee to develop a General Comment on children’s rights and the environment

Date: 18th June 2021
Category: General Comments

This General Comment, developed by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, will provide authoritative guidance on how children’s rights are impacted by the environmental crisis and what States must do to uphold these rights.

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Support #CovidUnder19’s open letter to world leaders

Date: 28th May 2021
Category: Disability, Basic Health and Welfare, General Comments

Internet access continues to be a challenge for frontline workers, working to protect, respect and fulfil children’s rights. This open letter encourages world leaders to bridge the digital divide, guarantee the protection of children online and work towards meaningful participation of children and young people to design the future of the digital world.

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Call for children’s participation to develop a child-friendly ICERD

Date: 28th May 2021
Category: UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

Encourage children to participate in a project to develop the first ever child-friendly International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and its standards.

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Mikiko Ōtani becomes Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child!

Date: 28th May 2021
Category: Reporting to and monitoring the UNCRC

Mikiko has been a longstanding friend and supporter of Together, joining Together to present the draft Children’s Rights Bill to John Swinney back in 2018 and celebrating the passage of the UNCRC Incorporation Bill earlier on this year!

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Children ignored in vast majority of National Recovery and Resilience Plans

Date: 28th May 2021
Category: Budgeting

Eurochild has urged EU officials to assess plans to spend special EU recovery funds through a child rights lens. This follows recent analysis by 22 children’s rights organisations and individuals, only four of whom were consulted during the development of these plans by governments.

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