AM calls for UK government sign up to UN Child Convention
20 September 2008
Plaid Cymru Spokesperson on Child Poverty, Bethan Jenkins AM, has today called on the UK Government to confirm reports that it is to sign up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in full.
For 17 years, the UK Government has opted out of provisions in the Convention prohibiting child migrants and asylum seekers to be locked up without judicial scrutiny. Today, the BBC understands that the Government will announce its intention to sign up to the Convention in full at a summit in Geneva next week.
Neath-based Ms Jenkins said:
“It is nothing short of disgraceful that the UK Government has for seventeen years opted out of certain provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, to enable it to lock up child migrants without judicial scrutiny.
“The Government have, in effect, created two-tiers of children and have refused to guarantee basic human rights universally; demonising migrant children and denying them full legal resource.”
Next week’s announcement coincides with a hearing at the UN in Geneva where British officials will be questioned on the UK’s respect for children’s rights.
The opt-out has meant the “best interest” rule does not apply to immigrant children in the UK and makes it easier for officials to lock them up, sometimes for weeks or months, pending planned deportation.
Ms Jenkins added:
“I would like to think that as Plaid Ministers work hard to create a socially just Wales, that with the necessary powers, our Government would be committed to upholding human rights for every person, regardless of their background, race, nationality or gender. The social paradigm of an independent Welsh government would look very different to the current London consensus on immigration and equality.”
