UNCRC: How Legislation Underpins Implementation in England
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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: How legislation underpins implementation in England Further information for the Joint Committee on Human Rights March 2010 Work in progress CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................. 8 1. GENERAL MEASURES OF IMPLEMENTATION .................................. 15 GENERAL OVERVIEW .............................................................................. 15 ARTICLE 4 – Steps to Implement .............................................................. 16 ARTICLE 42 – Making the Convention Widely Known ............................... 17 ARTICLE 44(6) – Making Reports Widely Available ................................... 19 2. DEFINITION OF THE CHILD ................................................................. 20 GENERAL OVERVIEW .............................................................................. 20 ARTICLE 1 – Definition of the Child ........................................................... 20 3. GENERAL PRINCIPLES ........................................................................ 21 GENERAL OVERVIEW .............................................................................. 21 ARTICLE 2 – Non-discrimination ................................................................ 23 ARTICLE 3 – Best Interests of the Child .................................................... 25 ARTICLE 6 – Child’s Right to Life .............................................................. 31 ARTICLE 12 – Child’s Views ...................................................................... 33 4. CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS .......................................................... 45 GENERAL OVERVIEW .............................................................................. 45 ARTICLE 7 - Birth Registration etc. ............................................................ 46 ARTICLE 8 - Preservation of Identity ......................................................... 49 ARTICLE 13 - Freedom of Expression ....................................................... 52 ARTICLE 14 - Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion .................. 52 ARTICLE 15 - Freedom of Association ...................................................... 55 ARTICLE 16 - Right to Privacy ................................................................... 55 ARTICLE 17 - Access to Information .......................................................... 60 ARTICLE 37 (A) - Prohibition of Torture, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment 62 5. FAMILY ENVIRONMENT AND ALTERNATIVE CARE ......................... 64 GENERAL OVERVIEW .............................................................................. 64 ARTICLE 5 - Parental Guidance ................................................................ 65 ARTICLE 9 - Separation from Parents ....................................................... 71 ARTICLE 10 - Entering or Leaving Country for Family Reunification ......... 76 ARTICLE 11 - Illicit Transfer and Non-Return of Children .......................... 77 ARTICLE 18 - Parents’ Joint Responsibilities ............................................ 78 ARTICLE 19 - Protection from Violence ..................................................... 82 ARTICLE 20 - Children Deprived of Family Environment ........................... 87 ARTICLE 21 - Adoption .............................................................................. 90 ARTICLE 25 - Right to Periodic Review of Treatment ................................ 92 ARTICLE 27 (PARAGRAPH 4) - Recovery of Maintenance ....................... 93 ARTICLE 39 - Rehabilitation of Child Victim .............................................. 94 6. BASIC HEALTH AND WELFARE .......................................................... 95 GENERAL OVERVIEW .............................................................................. 95 2 ARTICLE 6 - Right to Life ........................................................................... 96 ARTICLE 18 PARAGRAPH 3 - Right to Benefit from Childcare ................. 96 ARTICLE 23 - Rights of Disabled Children ................................................. 97 ARTICLE 24 - Right to Health and Health Services ................................... 99 ARTICLE 26 - Right to Social Benefits ..................................................... 108 ARTICLE 27 PARAGRAPH 1-3 - Adequate Standard of Living ............... 109 7. EDUCATION, LEISURE AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES ..................... 112 GENERAL OVERVIEW ............................................................................ 112 ARTICLE 28 - Right to Education ............................................................. 113 ARTICLE 29 - Aims of Education ............................................................. 121 ARTICLE 31 - Play, Leisure and Cultural Activities .................................. 123 8. SPECIAL PROTECTION MEASURES ................................................ 128 GENERAL OVERVIEW ............................................................................ 128 ARTICLE 22 - Refugee Children .............................................................. 129 ARTICLE 30 - Children of Minorities ........................................................ 133 ARTICLE 32 - Child Labour ...................................................................... 135 ARTICLE 33 - Children and Drug Abuse .................................................. 139 ARTICLE 34 - Sexual Exploitation of Children ......................................... 140 ARTICLE 35 - Prevention of Abduction, Sale and Trafficking .................. 143 ARTICLE 36 - Protection from Other Forms of Exploitation ..................... 145 ARTICLE 37 - Deprivation of Liberty ........................................................ 148 ARTICLE 38 - Children in Armed Conflict ................................................ 159 ARTICLE 39 - Rehabilitation of Victims .................................................... 160 ARTICLE 40 - Administration of Juvenile Justice ..................................... 161 ANNEX 1: EXTRACTS FROM THE OFCOM BROADCASTING CODE .... 175 ANNEX 2: SANCTIONS AVAILABLE TO OFCOM .................................... 183 ANNEX 3: ACADEMIES - MODEL STANDARD FUNDING AGREEMENT OCT 2009 .................................................................................................... 184 GLOSSARY ................................................................................................. 236 3 Introduction 1. The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) published its report on children’s rights on 20 November 2009. In its report, the JCHR recommended that ‘further information be given by the Government about the extent to which the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child’s (UNCRC) rights are or are not already protected by UK law.’ 2. This document has been compiled in response to this recommendation and sets out how all of the rights and obligations set out in the UNCRC are protected in England and implementation of the Convention is achieved through a substantial body of legislation and by putting the UNCRC at the heart of policies for children and young people. 3. The document demonstrates how England complies with each article in the UNCRC through our legislation and case law, administration and other processes. Implementing the UNCRC 4. The Government is fully committed to children’s rights and the continued implementation of the UNCRC to make the Convention a reality for all children and young people living in the UK. 5. Since ratification of the UNCRC in 1991, implementation of the Convention has been pursued through legislation and policy initiatives, including the Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and policy for 0-19 year olds set out in the Government’s 2007 Children's Plan. 6. In general, the UK does not incorporate international treaties directly into domestic law. Instead, if any change in the law is needed to enable the UK to comply with a particular treaty, the Government introduces legislation designed to give effect to that treaty.1 As set out in this document, existing legislation and policies give effect to the rights and obligations in the UNCRC and regard is given to the UNCRC when developing any new legislation or policy. 7. Article 4 of the UNCRC recognises that implementation of the rights in the Convention may comprise of legislative, administrative and other measures. It is for state parties to decide how best to implement the UNCRC. In doing so, the Government gives appropriate consideration to any general comments or Concluding Observations made by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Article 4 also recognises that, in relation to economic, social and cultural rights, resources are a relevant 1 There are some exceptions to this, most notably the Human Rights Act 1998, which seeks to ensure the better protection of individuals’ fundamental rights and freedoms as set out in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). 4 issue and can be taken into account when deciding what measures to take in order to implement the Convention. 8. Every five years the Government reports its progress on implementation of the Convention to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. The Concluding Observations made by the Committee as a result of the most recent reporting process at the end of 2008 then directly informed further plans for implementation