The charity made the call after researching how other countries embed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into their legal structures.
It found that incorporating the UNCRC into law had a positive effect on developing child-focused policy and legislation, as well as changing public attitudes towards the youngest members of society.
The report contains examples of best practice from 12 countries including Australia, Spain and Sweden – territories where Unicef says children are recognised as “rights holders” – in contrast to the UK.
“The research shows that enshrining children’s rights in law not only changes the way in which child-focused policy and legislation are developed and delivered, but can lead to a cultural shift in attitudes so that children are appropriately regarded as rights holders,” said Anita Tiessen, Unicef UK’s deputy executive director.
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