More than 70 organisations have called on new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to make children’s rights a central part of his Government’s plans to build a more preventative state.
The joint letter, led by the Children’s Rights Alliance for England, part of Just for Kids Law urges the Government to renew its commitment to children’s rights and the UK’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
Signatories include UNICEF UK, the National Children’s Bureau, the Alliance for Youth Justice, Save the Children UK, Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) and New Horizon Youth Centre.
At the heart of the coalition’s demands is a call for the UNCRC to be fully incorporated into UK law. The organisations argue that this would ensure the impact of legislation, policies and public services on children is considered systematically across Government.
They also say incorporation would support the Government’s ambition to create a more preventative state by helping address problems affecting children before they become more serious and costly.
As an immediate step, the organisations are calling for Child Rights Impact Assessments (CRIAs) to be placed on a statutory footing. Mandatory assessments would require policymakers to consider how proposed decisions could affect children, identify potential harms and provide opportunities to take children’s views into account.
The call follows the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 2 report, which found that children were too often overlooked during the pandemic. The Inquiry recommended making CRIAs a statutory requirement, arguing they could help ensure children’s rights are considered both during national emergencies and in routine policymaking.
The coalition says voluntary assessments have led to inconsistent practice across Government and argues that a legal requirement is necessary to ensure children’s rights are meaningfully embedded in decision-making.
The letter also highlights differences in legal protections across the UK, pointing to greater recognition of children’s rights in Scotland, Wales and Jersey. The organisations argue that children’s rights should not depend on where they live or whether a policy decision falls within devolved or reserved powers.
The groups are asking Burnham’s Government to reconsider the previous administration’s rejection of the Covid Inquiry recommendation and to set out a clear roadmap towards full incorporation of the UNCRC as part of its forthcoming 10-year plan for Britain.
The coalition said the measures would demonstrate that the Government had learned lessons from the pandemic and was committed to ensuring children’s rights and voices are considered in policymaking.
The organisations have offered to work with the Prime Minister and his ministers on developing a rights-based approach aimed at ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Photo: Pavel Danilyuk
Leave a Reply