Ruth Maguire MSP has welcomed plans to progress Scotland’s ground-breaking children’s rights legislation, announced by Deputy First Minister John Swinney today. The UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill was backed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament in March 2021, but could not be implemented because of a legal challenge brought by the UK Government. In October, the Supreme... Continue Reading →
SNP: Scotland can be a Global Leader on Human Rights and Tackling Discrimination
ALL PARTIES CHALLENGED TO INCORPORATE UN TREATIES INTO SCOTS LAW Scotland can be a global leader in upholding and strengthening human rights and tackling discrimination, the SNP has said today, with the party committing to incorporating additional United Nations treaties into law if re-elected this May. Last month, the SNP Scottish Government passed the UNCRC (Incorporation)... Continue Reading →
Tale of two Governments as UNCRC passed by Holyrood
'BAIRNS NOT BOMBS' AS SCOTLAND PASSES LANDMARK LEGISLATION The SNP has said the UK government’s announcement of a massive increase in its stockpile of nuclear weapons on the same day that the Scottish Parliament voted to incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into law tells “a tale of two governments.” The Scottish Government passed... Continue Reading →
Incorporation of UNCRC into Scots Law Agreed in Principal
Ruth Maguire MSP has welcomed the progress made to incorporate the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child into Scots Law. The Scottish Parliament voted to accept the general principals of embedding the UN Convention into law to strengthen and protect rights for children and young people in Scotland. This follows months of evidence... Continue Reading →
Family Court Process to Be More Child Friendly
Ruth Maguire MSP has welcomed the passing of legislation which makes radical changes to family court proceedings more child friendly. The Children (Scotland) Bill will require all children’s views will have to be heard and taken into account in family cases, subject to extremely limited exceptions. The presumption that only children aged 12 and over... Continue Reading →
Consultation on Children’s Hearings Age Range to Tackle Young Offending
Ruth Maguire MSP has welcomed the announcement of a consultation on raising the age which young people can be referred to a children's hearing from 16 to 18. The Scottish Government’s consultation, which is open until October, also asks whether improvements are needed to the advice and support available for young people who are victims... Continue Reading →
Ruth Maguire Backs Campaign for Stronger Guidance on Restraint and Seclusion in Schools
Ruth Maguire MSP, gave her backing in Parliament to greater protection for children against restraint and seclusion in Scottish schools. Speaking in a parliamentary debate, the MSP for Cunninghame South made reference to the “In Safe Hands?” campaign from learning disability charity, ENABLE Scotland and echoed the key asks from their campaign. Ms Maguire said:... Continue Reading →
30th Anniversary – United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child
November 20th 2019 marks 30 years of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). There are a broad array of international instruments which set out the human rights of children, but the UNCRC is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate their full range of civil, cultural, economic, political, and... Continue Reading →
Ruth Maguire MSP (SNP) 