The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified of the core human rights instruments. The UK continues to promote further signatures, ratification and implementation of the Convention and its two Optional Protocols both bilaterally and in multilateral fora. The UK works with EU partners and the Office of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights to increase compliance with the Convention.
The UK has signed and ratified the Optional Protocol on Children and Armed Conflict. The UK has signed the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography and is now in a position to ratify it. We are taking steps to complete ratification at the earliest opportunity.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has developed a strategy to guide our work on child rights. We will focus our work on promoting universal signature and ratification of relevant international instruments, working to eliminate violence against children and the worst forms of child labour.
The FCO has revived our Child Rights panel of experts. The panel will meet quarterly to help inform policy decisions and advise on how to implement our strategy.
The UK supports the aims of the “Call for Action” by child rights non-governmental organisations, calling for a child rights focus at the Human Rights Council.