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Our speakers are @Bruce_Adamson Children and Young People's Commissioner of Scotland @CYPCS and 15-year-old @BeccieWhiteMSYP who is a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament
Beccie and Bruce say a few years ago there was little hope of incorporating the CRC in Scotland... so change is possible!
They flag that covid-19 has disproportionately affected disabled children, and children impacted by poverty. We have attacks on human rights across the world, yet young people have stepped up as social justice leaders.
The UN CRC's premise is happiness, love and understanding. The provisions cover all aspects of children's lives. It has changed the way we view and treat children.
The UK has ratified many human rights treaties, but has been slow to give effect to them in UK law. The @scotgov has committed to incorporate the CRC into law by early 2021, a development that Bruce describes as "a bright ray of sunlight" 
Bruce and Beccie say that Scotland is more sympathetic to human rights discourse, providing for a dynamic environment to engage with human rights 
Initially the Scottish government said incorporation was "impossible", then it was softened to "undesirable". Children and young people continued campaigning for incorporation.
Eventually the @scotgov agreed! 
@Bruce_Adamson phoned some friends including @Bromebyd and asked them to draft a Bill 
Ministers weren't that excited, but in 2019 they agreed to deliver their own Bill to @ScotParl.
@Bruce_Adamson phoned some friends including @Bromebyd and asked them to draft a Bill Ministers weren't that excited, but in 2019 they agreed to deliver their own Bill to @ScotParl.
Key advice from @BeccieWhiteMSYP: This is a long term process. Culture began to change. Education happened. There were ups and downs. Children and young people were fired up and focused on the goal 
Beccie and Bruce say that incorporation of the CRC in Scotland will place children at the centre of policy-making. It will ensure children's rights are respected. Rights will be legally enforceable. Children & their families will have a means of redress. It will rebalance power!
Public authorities will have to report on progress to implement the CRC. The Bill is broadly based on the HRA. It will be unlawful for public bodies to act in violation of the CRC.
Violations may give rise to a legal claim.
The law will have real teeth
Violations may give rise to a legal claim.
The law will have real teeth
The Bill creates new powers for @CYPCS to take legal action on behalf of children and young people, rather than relying on individuals to initiating litigation (for which there are many hurdles) 
. @Bruce_Adamson says the Bill doesn't go far enough. It should include additional interpretive tools such as general comments of UN CRC, especially important for children's rights in the context of the digital age 
(Hello @scotgov - will you make these amendments?)
(Hello @scotgov - will you make these amendments?)
As a reminder the hashtag for this lecture is #ChildRightsDSC
. @Bruce_Adamson says children don't have the same political or economic power. Their voices need to be heard in all decisions that affect them.
@BeccieWhiteMSYP says "Children are not just the future - they are RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!"
@BeccieWhiteMSYP says "Children are not just the future - they are RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!"
Listening to children is NOT a tick-box exercise, says @BeccieWhiteMSYP
. @BeccieWhiteMSYP says those in power should step outside their comfort zones. They must flex and change so that children's rights are respected. Tradition is no longer acceptable as a reason not to change.
"Young people are seen as rowdy youths who need to get some life experience and pay some tax. This is unacceptable!" - @BeccieWhiteMSYP
"We must make children's rights real and truly listen to them. To do this we must fully incorporate UN CRC into Scots law." - @BeccieWhiteMSYP #ChildRightsDSC
#ChildRightsDSC
