We are proud to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on 20th November 2019 and congratulate all who have respected and adopted it, incorporating it into everyday life.
All 5 Early Years organisations hold the UNCRC at the heart of our work in aiming for every child to have the best possible start in life and to be able to thrive and reach their full potential. Article 7 gives all children the right at birth to be registered and to have a name and nationality and, as far as possible to know and to be cared for by their parents.
Over the last 30 years, the articles have empowered individuals and governments to work together to make sure children can enjoy all their rights whatever their ethnicity, gender, religion, language, or abilities We recognise the central role that the adoption of the UNCRC by all UN Member states has played in improving the lives of children in setting out the 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child’s life and clearly states the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children everywhere are entitled to.
Whilst recognising the consideration that all 5 nations currently give to the UNCRC in developing and passing legislation, the 5 Early Years organisations support the embedding of UNCRC in legislation in all of the 5 Nations such has been the case in Wales from 2011 and currently in development in Scotland to protect Children’s Rights for this, and future generations. Collectively, we recognise that there is further work to be done in terms of ensuring that there is a consistency of approach across all nations in terms of meeting the needs of all children and their families during early childhood with child led services and policies that recognise the rights contained within the UNCRC.
The UNCRC must be apolitical and embraced by all policy and law makers to ensure that all children can enjoy their rights. Together, we look forward to a future where the rights of the child are well known, respected and embedded in policy and law universally across all nations.
The 5 Nations Early Years organisations
- Ireland: www.earlychildhoodireland.ie
- Northern Ireland: www.early-years.org
- England: www.eyalliance.org.uk
- Wales: www.earlyyears.wales
- Scotland: www.earlyyearsscotland.org