Our rights, our world. Make it better!
7WORDSTORY
As the year this report covers was coming to an end, lockdown was only beginning.
We were lucky that our website had just relaunched and that we’d taken on new ways to work online. As a result, we were able to rapidly adapt to promote and protect your rights as the pandemic took hold in Scotland.
From our homes, we’ve continued to put your views and experiences at the heart of our response to the crisis. We’ve been challenging people in power where their decisions have fallen short on respecting your human rights. We won’t stop doing this as the pandemic continues, whatever the challenges that lie ahead.
But there’s a lot to be excited about in the future, too. Very soon, Scotland will fully and directly incorporate the UNCRC into Scots law. Every child deserves to be happy, healthy and safe, and we know this is the most important thing Scotland can do to make sure this will be the case here― and to make sure your rights are respected, protected and real.
Although Scotland has a strong tradition of protecting your rights, in many areas we haven’t done well enough. That’s especially true where your rights are most at risk― whether that’s through poverty, disability, or not getting the support you need.
Incorporation will mean we have better ways to make sure the people who make decisions do what they have promised to.
And that will mean that better decisions are made and that children and young people whose rights are most at risk will be protected.
With new laws and policies in place, people of all ages will need to understand what respecting children’s human rights looks and feels like for children and young people yourselves.
Respecting children’s human rights will no longer be a choice. Instead, it will transform how we care for, listen to, love and value children and young people in our homes, schools and communities.
We recognise that we’ve got some way to go, but we do know Scotland is ready to make, and keep, these promises to children and young people.
And we’re ready to help Scotland take this giant step forward.
As we do, we’ll continue to work with children and young people to make sure the Scottish Government keeps its human rights promises to them.
We’ll continue to have children and young people at the heart of our work.
And we’ll continue to make sure you have meaningful opportunities to share their views and experiences with people in power.