On 16 December, 1991, the UK parliament ratified the United Nations on the Convention on the Rights of the Child. That means they approved it, but it didn’t actually become law.
In March, the Scottish Parliament unanimously voted for the UNCRC to become part of Scots law. This still hasn’t happened. The Scottish Government must work to make sure that rights for under 18s become enshrined in law as soon as possible so that they can get the legal protection that they need.
Over 1,000 children and young people told us what rights meant to them in #7WordStories and today – on the 30th anniversary of UNCRC ratification – we are sharing a set of those stories as posters for everyone to enjoy. Print them out, put them on your wall, and let everyone know that your rights matter!
There are four fabulous designs to choose from, and each #7WordStory was written by a child or young person. They say:
- Rights matter. You matter. Don’t lose hope.
- We have rights. Dinosaurs didn’t. They died.
- Freedom from poverty helps all children flourish.
- Rights are help before you even ask.
Ezmie McCutcheon, Head of Communications, said: “We want everyone to talk about why children’s rights matter, and these posters bring some of the amazing stories we have received to life. Choose the one you like best, or print out all four and complete the set!
“We should be looking forward to the commencement of the UNCRC in Scots law, and today’s anniversary reminds us that work still needs to be done to ensure children’s rights are at the heart of our law. Every day of delay is another day too long that children and young people have to wait. These posters remind us of the power of children’s voices. We can’t let them down any longer.”
We know that it might be tricky at the moment to print off a poster, so please email us at administration@cypcs.org.uk and we can send you copies when Covid-19 measures allow us to work in our office. We promise they will be worth the wait!