UN Human Rights Council 55: Panel discussion on child rights mainstreaming
Panel discussion for the annual full-day meeting on the rights of the child: Child rights mainstreaming in the United Nations. UK statement.
Thank you, Mr President and esteemed panellists,
The United Kingdom welcomes the Secretary General’s commitment to mainstream child rights through initiatives such as the Guidance note and the recent report of the High Commissioner on strengthening a child rights’ approach.
All too often, children remain largely marginalised in society, facing age- and gender-based discrimination. The meaningful participation of children in relevant UN decision-making processes is key to ensuring a holistic approach in the design and implementation of its activities.
The UK recognises children as fully-fledged rights’ holders. That is why we have made important strides to mainstream children’s rights in national policies and legislation. For example, to support vulnerable children, the UK has been implementing its ambitious Children’s Social Care strategy. The strategy aims to keep children safe from significant harm and supports families to ensure children can achieve better outcomes in loving and stable homes.
More recently in October 2023, the UK Online Safety Bill entered into law. This legislation protects children and young people online by holding social media platforms legally responsible for the content they host.
Panellists,
How can we remove the barriers that children face preventing them from meaningfully participating in the work of the Human Rights Council and other multilateral fora in a friendly and accessible way?
Thank you.