Unknown
Dossier Prepared for Un Details Grim Plight of Many Young People in Britain

A dossier of abuse of the human rights of children and young people in Britain will be presented to United Nations inspectors today in a joint submission from the four children's commissioners for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.



Report details widespread flouting of human rights and states that attitudes to young 'have got worse'
They will report widespread infringements of the UN convention on the rights of the child (UNCRC) that have denied hope and opportunity to many of Britain's 14 million children and adolescents. The most serious defects include:


· A punitive juvenile justice system;

· Public attitudes that demonise teenagers;

· Lack of protection against physical punishment in the home;

· One of the highest levels of child poverty in Europe.

The commissioners will submit their complaints to a UN review of children's rights in Britain, which is due to examine whether any improvements have been made over the past five years. In a report in 2002, the UN committee on the rights of the child accused the government of "serious violations" including failure to ban parental smacking, detention of child asylum seekers and use of plastic baton rounds on children in Northern Ireland.

It said children's commissioners should be appointed to uphold young people's rights. This recommendation was accepted - first by the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and, more recently, by the UK government acting on behalf of England   CLICK NOW TO READ MORE
0 Responses