The State of Children’s Rights in Scotland

This is a benchmark year for children’s rights. For the first time since 2008 the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) will make recommendations on how children’s human rights can be better respected, protected and fulfilled in Scotland and the UK. These recommendations, known as Concluding Observations, will show where we are doing well, and where more work is needed to fulfil the Scottish Government’s ambition to make Scotland the best place in the world to grow up. In 2009 the Scottish Government published Do the Right Thing. It focused on addressing the UN’s recommendations and covered 21 areas, ranging from promoting positive parenting to tackling child poverty. Whilst widely welcomed by children’s organisations, there was criticism that the plan did not commit to addressing some UN recommendations, such as raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility, giving children equal protection from violence and incorporating the UNCRC in Scots law.

Children cannot uphold their rights if they don’t know they have them

Together, in partnership with its members, monitors how far UN recommendations are being implemented through annual State of Children’s Rights reports, which show where the Scottish Government and public bodies need to do more work. To produce the reports we hold a series of seminars. With the release of the UN recommendations due this June, and the commencement of the UNCRC duties enshrined in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act, this year’s events were more important than ever. Our seminars were attended by representatives working for schools, universities, local and central government, play providers, health and criminal justice services, as well as a diverse network of NGO bodies. In Glasgow we found a strong commitment to become a child-friendly city, as demonstrated through the city council’s partnership with UNICEF UK. However, there are concerns about resources and the impact of implementing the UNCRC. Scotland was identified as being ‘strategy rich’ for UNCRC Article 31, the right to leisure, play and culture; but ‘resource poor’ when it comes to turning strategy into practice. These sentiments were reflected in Edinburgh, as was the need to turn children’s views into action and put them at the centre of decision making. Delegates contributed inspiring examples, like how Scottish Borders Council has a group of young people working with the local planning partnership to help turn strategy into action.

Our Edinburgh seminar also heard from Shilla Zwizwai, a care-experienced ambassador for Who Cares? Scotland. Her powerful presentation about her journey before, during and after the care system, posed the critical question: how do you challenge something you have no knowledge of? Children cannot uphold their rights if they don’t know they have them. In Aberdeen we heard that awareness raising is partly addressed through the Rights Respecting Schools Award, and impressively, there is an ambition for all Aberdeenshire schools to be Rights Respecting. The impact so far has been notable, although there are challenges to meet on implementation when it is possible that a child enrolled in one school will learn that they have the right to play, to learn and to be healthy, whilst a child in a neighbouring school will never have even heard of ‘rights’. Our 2016 State of Children’s Rights report will draw from the UN recommendations to bring these issues to the fore. We encourage all those working with and for children to get involved by joining Together as a member and through subscribing to our fortnightly newsletter. The combination of the new Concluding Observations, the 2014 Act and the incredible commitment to children’s rights seen throughout our State of Children’s Rights seminars,  presents a significant opportunity to progress children’s rights in 2016 and beyond. We are looking forward to working with our members to harness this energy and make Scotland a place where all children’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. Together is an alliance of Scottish children's charities working to improve the awareness, understanding and implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Find out more in their short explainer video.