Scottish children’s bill gets royal assent
'The UNCRC grants all people under the age of eighteen a comprehensive set of rights.'
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Bill officially received royal assent in Scotland last week. The bill will come into force on 16 July 2024.
Sarah Komashko, parliamentary engagement officer for Quakers in Scotland, described the bill as ‘a significant milestone in the journey towards ensuring the wellbeing of every child in the nation’. It ‘builds on years of advocacy by organisations including Quakers in Scotland and our coalition partners Together (the Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights),’ she added, writing on the Quakers in Britain website.
The UNCRC grants all people under the age of eighteen a comprehensive set of rights – including rights to health, education, family life, play and recreation, and protection from abuse and harm – and sets a legal requirement for all public authorities to comply with them. The UNCRC also protects key areas such as good food and clean water.
‘We hope that the UK Government will look to the example of Scotland and signal a similar commitment to protecting children’s rights,’ added Sarah Komashko.
Long campaigned for by Quakers in Scotland, the bill first passed unanimously in March 2021, but was almost derailed after a challenge by the Westminster government. In November 2020, Scotland banned the physical punishment of children.
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