CRAE asks Labour, Tories and Lib Dems to set out their children's rights policies
Janaki Mahadevan
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Each political party has been challenged to set out their approaches to children's rights in the run up to the general election next month.
The Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) has written to Ed Balls, Michael Gove and David Laws to ask their parties' views on:
- Ministerial responsibility for children's rights
- Action on the UN recommendations on children's rights
- Whether children's rights will be considered when drafting laws and policy affecting children
- Listening to and taking account of children's views
- Training on children's rights for the children's workforce and teaching children's rights in schools
- Ministers' roles in promoting positive images of children and childhood.
The children's rights organisation said it will publish the responses from each party in the week before the election.
Carolyne Willow, CRAE's national co-ordinator, said: "There are 11 million children in England. While under 18s have no vote, these children are surrounded by parents, grandparents, neighbours and other adult voters who want to know politicians' plans for protecting children's rights.
"We could have asked hundreds of questions about children's lives in England today, from plans to end child poverty, to laws promoting fair treatment of children and families when using public transport and community facilities. Instead, we have focused on six broad areas that we think will give voters a clear picture of the main political parties' general approach to children's rights."
