Wales: application of the UNCRC to 18 to 24 year olds

Date: 19th March 2013
Category: UK 1st periodic review

Following a public consultation on section 7 of the Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure, the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty (Huw Lewis) has decided that applying the articles of UNCRC to the 18-24 age group will not go forward.

The Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty has agreed the report and concluded that applying the articles of the UNCRC is not the best way to move forward.

The Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011, strengthens and builds on the rights based approach of the Welsh Government in making policy for children and young people in Wales.

It places a duty on Welsh Ministers to have due regard to the rights and obligations within the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and its optional protocols.

Section 7 of the Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 requires the Welsh Ministers to consider to what extent and with what amendments the rights in the UNCRC and its optional protocols, and the provisions in the Measure, should be applied to young people aged 18-24.

A 12 week public consultation was held on whether the Welsh Government should apply the Articles in the UNCRC to young people aged 18-24 yrs, this took place between 8 October and 28 December 2012.