RIGHTS BILL
Robert Mitchell
Young people’s rights have been formally acknowledged ‘right here, right now’ by South Lanarkshire Council.
Provost Ian McAllan signed a pledge to ratify the commitment after a full council meeting endorsed The Scottish Youth Parliament’s campaign.
The ‘Right Here, Right Now’ initiative calls for the rights of young people to be respected.
And, critically, it also asks for Article 12 of the UN Convention on The Rights of the Child – which is not currently ratified the UK – to be adhered to, in the hope it will be incorporated into Scots Law.
The motion that was brought forward to the full council by Spokesperson for Youth, Councillor Julia Marrs, followed an approach by MSYP for Clydesdale Reece Harding, and received cross-party support.
The motion stated: “That South Lanarkshire Council recognises the importance of young people’s rights, our role in defending those rights, and endorses The Scottish Youth Parliament’s Right Here, Right Now campaign which seeks to influence law, policy and practice to strengthen the protection of young people’s rights, and to improve links between the Scottish Youth Parliament and public bodies.
“That we note the principal focus of the campaign to be Article 12 of the UNCRC which states that children and young people should be given appropriate information to make decisions on matters that involve them, that their opinions should be listened to and taken into account when decisions are taken, and we commit to incorporate that ethos in all council workings.”
Councillor Marrs said: “I’m absolutely