International community holds governments to account

Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner: 

“The Universal Periodic Review is a unique process where the international community holds our governments to account on their human rights record. Throughout the process we have raised significant children’s rights issues in Scotland where immediate progress must be made including tackling child poverty, supporting good mental health, and improving the education system for every child.  

Today Member States at the United Nations UPR session are challenging our governments on areas we have highlighted including the need for the Scottish Government to immediately raise the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14, the international minimum standard; ensuring that the UK Government does not continue the retrograde step of abolishing the Human Rights Act, and pressing the UK Government to ratify the crucial accountability mechanism within the UNCRC to ensure that children and their families can meaningfully challenge when their rights have been breached.”