Promoting your rights.
Young people around the world have their human rights listed in a document called the UN Convention on The Rights of the Child (UNCRC) which you can read more about in our illustrated guide.
These rights are for all children and young people under the age of 18 (but SCCYP also looks out for your rights if you are under 21 and have ever been 'looked after' or in care).
The "UN" part of UNCRC stands for the United Nations, which is a worldwide association of governments working together to make progress on issues like international law, human rights, and peace.
In Scotland, it's the job of Tam, your Commissioner, and everyone else in the SCCYP team, to promote and safeguard your rights under the UNCRC.
UNCRC Explained
On the 20th November 1989, the United Nations approved the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention is an international agreement that countries must obey. The UK government signed up to the Convention on December 6th 1991.
The main points of the UNCRC are:
- All the rights guaranteed by the Convention must be available to all children without discrimination (Article 2)
- That the best interests of the child must always come first (Article 3)
- Children's views must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting them (Article 12)
- All children have the right to life, survival and development (Article 6)
Follow this link to read the full UN Convention on the Rights of the Child online.
Alternately you can find out more about the UNCRC and the Committee that monitors its implementation in all the countries that have ratified it via the United Nations website.