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Save UNCRC: UK-wide commitment 2009
Working together, achieving more: Joint commitment to take action in response to the UNCRC concluding observations
Working together, achieving more is a UK-wide commitment to take action to make children and young people’s rights under the UNCRC a reality. It was produced in response to recommendations made by the UN in its Concluding observations report, and launched in November 2009, along with an England action plan, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Priorities for action. A video message from Baroness Delyth Morgan, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Children, explains more about the commitment.
Background
Every government that has ratified the UNCRC has to give evidence every five years to the United Nations on progress it has made in implementing the UNCRC. In response, the UN produces a report called the Concluding observations, which sets out what each government must do to put the UNCRC fully into practice.
In September 2008, the UK Government and the devolved administrations attended an oral hearing in Geneva to give evidence to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on progress the UK has made. The Committee’s Concluding observations, published in October 2008 (see the UNCRC Reporting process page on this website for all the concluding observations reports) welcomed the UK’s progress, and recognised its ambitions to improve the lives of all children and young people and to make the UNCRC a reality. It also made several recommendations.
The UK Government welcomed these recommendations, which provide a helpful framework for further action, building on measures that are already in place.
Joint commitment and priorities for action
Each of the four UK nations (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) is addressing the UN Committee’s recommendations in ways that are appropriate to their own circumstances.
They are also continuing to work together, as they did for the 2008 reporting process, by producing Working together, achieving more, the joint commitment to take action in response to the Concluding observations, which sets out the collaborative approach that the four nations will take.
As well as co-ordinating the UK-wide reports on the UNCRC, the UK Government has responsibility for implementing the UNCRC in England, and therefore has also:
- updated the Children's Plan where it sets out its priorities for addressing the Concluding observations.
- published United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Priorities for action which highlights the progress it is making in England and the future plans in its priority areas.
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Last updated on 20/11/2009
