Disappointment and Concern at Government Report on Children

Two leading children's rights organisations, the Children's Law Centre and Save the Children, expressed disappointment at the Government's report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child which was published today.

The report is meant to be an assessment on how Government has treated our children over the last five years since their last report was submitted in 1994. At that time a number of concerns were expressed at Government's failure to protect the rights of our children.

Save the Children and the Children's Law Centre believe that the majority of those concerns have still not been addressed, particular difficulties faced by children in Northern Ireland have not been given full consideration and this new report does not reflect the findings of other research.

"In a report of 220 pages only 6 pages have been devoted to Northern Ireland, this despite all the particular difficulties our children face", commented Paddy Kelly, Director of the Children's Law Centre. "At the last hearings and in their concluding comments, the UN Committee were particularly concerned about the denial of rights to Irish Traveller children. Those children are still living in third world conditions ad being denied equal access to such basic services as clean water and education. In the government's report only 24 lines are devoted to Traveller children in Northern Ireland. This is very concerning. The Committee also made reference to the impact of emergency legislation and plastic bullets on children in Northern Ireland. Children as young as 10 continue to be subject to emergency legislation and plastic bullets are still being used, with children being injured last year. This does not warrant comment in the report", Paddy Kelly continued.

"The Committee recommended the age of criminal responsibility be raised. Despite opportunity afforded by the introduction of new legislation the Government failed to follow the Committees' recommendation and the age remains 10" said Sheri Chamberlain, Director of Save the Children. "The Committee also recognised the fact that were are emerging from 30 years of armed conflict ad that special provisions are needed to promote the recovery of child victims. Government has again failed to address this issue. In its press release and report Government cites the Sure Start programme of support for children 0-3 in deprived areas as one of the key examples of its commitment to children. It however, fails to mention that in NI the Dept of Health and Social Services reallocated £15 million Sure Start monies across other Departments" Ms Chamberlain added.

The Committee put particular emphasis on the duty of Government to monitor and co-ordinate the implementation of the Convention and to promote children's rights. In NI the Government has failed resolutely on both accounts.

"It is very obvious that Government did not ask children and young people about the reality of their lives when drafting their report. Can you imagine drafting a report on women's rights and not talking to women? It is very illogical that government didn't ask young people when the report is about young people" commented Claire Cosgrove (16), who is a member of the Children's Law Centre Young People's group. "The government made a promise to listen to young people and to take their rights seriously but they haven't even asked us. Government was supposed to let us know about our rights but according to Government 94% of young people do not even know about the UN Convention. How can you get your rights when you don't even know what they are", she added.

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