EU Referendum: Together response

Date: 29th June 2016
Category: Other human rights treaties and mechanisms

The decision to withdraw from the European Union will have significant implications for children and young people in Scotland and across the UK.

As highlighted in our recent blog, EU laws and policies affect a broad spectrum of children's rights - from protecting children from trafficking through to ensuring clean beaches on which children can play.

It is evident that young people voted overwhelmingly to remain within the EU. Of the 70,000 young people consulted for the Scottish Youth Parliament's 'Lead the Way' manifesto only 11% wanted to leave.

It is essential that children and young people's rights are central to any further discussions relating to Scotland's place in Europe. Therefore, Together has written to the First Minister to encourage her to appoint an expert on children's rights to the Advisory Panel that will look at protecting Scotland's place within the EU. We have also endorsed the Scottish Youth Parliament's request to the First Minister that young people should be involved in upcoming negotiations.

More than ever, Together is committed to ensuring that children and young people's rights are at the heart of all discussions and that their views are heard and taken into account at every stage of the process. We will continue to share information with our members and the wider public to raise awareness and understanding of what the referendum result may mean for children and young people.

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