rights of children

The UN will today report on how the UK are implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child

I wonder what issues they will pick out?

Treatment of Child Asylum seekers and children of Asylum seeekers. Though it is not meant to happen I reguarly hear of breastfeeding mothers and babies separated while the Mother is detained. Lord Avebury has intervened on several occasions.

Children needing treatment for mental health problems. These should be "appropriate to the child's condition and to the circumstances of the parents or others caring for the child." and " conducive to the child's achieving the fullest possible social integration and individual development, including his or her cultural and spiritual development" Instead we have heard this week of children receiving treatment in adult wards.

Privacy... I received information yesterday from school stating how pupils information is shared. Through the new database there is a rather long list of agencies who can share data on children. There does not appear to be a check box to opt out of this either. The convention says " No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, " Yet we are hearing plans to store this data until a child is 25.

Protection from economic exploitation - Thought the convention refers to employment of children, we do subject children in the UK to enormous amounts of advertising particularly through TV adverts, but also including sponsership through the health and education systems.


...Ironic that this morning 1 out of 5 teachers would like to bring back the cane!