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xReflecting on 2021
Date: 2nd February 2022
Category:
With 2022 rolling steadily on, we don’t want you to miss a chance to stroll, or rather scroll, down memory lane and bask in your accomplishments of 2021. As an alliance, we have achieved so much, so it’s a pleasure putting before you our top three favourite parts from the last 365 days.
Remember, if you wish to join us on our journey in 2022, please do consider becoming a member. You’ll benefit from a whole host of resources, events and opportunities to influence and support a children’s rights respecting Scotland!
No. 1 – working with Rights Right Now!
In March 2021, we celebrated as MSPs passed the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill unanimously. Although the Bill ended up in the Supreme Court, this is not stopping the implementation of children’s rights. Rights Right Now! is a pilot project established to ensure that children and young people are at the heart of governance and discussions around UNCRC Implementation. Key learning and recommendations drawn from this pilot project will be used to inform the development of a longer-term project which will align, inform and influence the implementation of children’s rights in Scotland.
- You can find out more about Right Right Now here.
- You can read our article explaining why the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill ended up in the Supreme Court, what the judges said and what will happen next here.
No. 2 - State of Children’s Rights in Scotland webinars
Our webinars looked at how to embed children’s human rights into practice. Four webinars were delivered by expert speakers. The first introduced attendees to what a children’s human rights-based approach looks like. The second explored how to encourage the participation of children and young people of all ages. The third looked at the importance of children and young people accessing justice through child-friendly complaints processes, independent advocacy and more. Finally, we rounded off the webinar series with three mini-presentations studying how to implement children’s rights across impact assessments, budgeting and data collection.
These webinars allowed participants to network and share some of the challenges they are faced with when implementing children’s rights, steps they are taking to overcome these and examples of promising practice.
We have drawn from these webinars to shape our forthcoming State of Children’s Rights Report. So, stay tuned!
No. 3 – writing our report to inform the UN’s review of the UK
Our List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR) Report was published in January 2021. We worked with our members to identify 30 priority issues facing children, young people and their families across Scotland. This report was sent to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to inform the initial stages of the UK’s next review by the Committee. Some of the issues we raised were picked up by the UN Committee in a list of questions it sent to the UK and devolved governments.
Past civil society reports like these have been used to create progressive change across the UK. We look forward to following the progress of these calls!
The UK Government has to respond to the UN Committee’s list of questions by 15th June 2022.