The Children and Young People Commissioner and Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) have presented the Scottish Government with a draft Children’s Rights (Scotland) Bill which shows clearly how the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) could be incorporated into Scots law.

The draft Bill has been produced by an expert Advisory Group who presented it to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Justice John Swinney and Minister for Children and Young People Maree Todd in the week that the world celebrates the anniversary of the UNCRC.

Commissioner, Bruce Adamson said:

“This draft Bill sets out a straightforward way for Scotland to meet its international obligation to incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It has been drafted by some of the leading children’s human rights experts in the world and can help the Scottish Government live up to its promise of incorporation, within this session of Parliament.

“I spent the weekend with over 50 young people who had travelled from across Scotland to take part in my office’s Young People’s Human Rights Gathering in Inverness. When we talked about incorporation, the big question was – how soon will it happen? This draft Bill helps Scotland get closer to the answer to that question and the Scottish Government must move to public consultation of a proposed bill in early 2019.

“We have been working on incorporation for decades and 2019 is the 30th anniversary of the UNCRC, so the time is now. Following an amazing Year of Young People, there is no better time for Scotland to truly show a commitment to the human rights of children and young people and put this commitment into action.

“Over recent weeks there has been significant interest in Scotland’s commitment to incorporate from the United Nations, the Council of Europe, and from other countries. The world is watching and we cannot allow any delay to this important law which will ensure that those in power can be properly accountable to children and their parents.”