Children’s Rights: Twenty-fifth Report of Session 2008-09 Report, Together with Formal Minutes and Oral and Written Evidence

Surveys by UNICEF and others of the well-being of children and young people have found that the UK is ranked lower than almost all other industrialised countries. The Committee has previously considered children’s rights in the context of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) which the UK ratified in 1991. This report follows up some of the issues that have been raised previously in the light of the latest Concluding Observations of the UN Committee which monitors compliance with the UNCRC. The Committee recommends that there should be a UK plan for implementation of the recommendations of the UN Committee on the UNCRC, with annual reports on progress. The UNCRC found that there was a general climate of intolerance and negative attitude towards children in the UK, which the Committee would like to see addressed. A large number of discrimination issues were also raised by witnesses which could be addressed by the UNCRC implementation plan. Also recommended is the Equality Bill be amended to extend protection from age discrimination to people regardless of their age in relation to the provision of goods, facilities and services, except where the discrimination can be justified. The Committee looked at the situation of a large number of children from vulnerable and marginalised groups are in the criminal justice system and the growing number of offences for which children can be charged and convicted. The Committee welcomes the withdrawal of the UK’s reservation to Article 22 of the UNCRC, which related to immigration, but they question why this has not led to changes in policy and practice.