News and stories

Commissioner: We need urgent action on UNCRC incorporation, not just words

On the second anniversary of the Scottish Parliament voting for children's rights to be in law, Commissioner Bruce Adamson calls on the next First Minister to make the Bill an urgent priority.

Putting rights into law: a tale of prevarication and delay 

This Human Rights Day, Commissioner Bruce Adamson shares his deep frustration that despite Scottish Government assurances, children still do not have their rights protected in law.

Parliament party banished the nerves  

Our Young Adviser Lewis was really brave when he agreed to compere our 18th birthday at the Scottish Parliament in April. At first, Lewis was ready to pull out, but he went ahead and delivered a fantastic event with jokes, applause, and improvised deviations from the script. Now, Lewis finds himself more confident, taking a lead more often and being able to stand up and be heard. As part of our Human Rights Day celebrations, Lewis writes on overcoming his fears and the benefits of leaping into the unknown. Thank you to Lewis for hosting a fantastic event.

Human rights are under threat: Why we must protect them  

As we launch our new report on the Human Rights Act, Policy Officer Cameron-Wong McDermott writes about the importance of the Human Rights Act and the danger of proposed changes.

Unsure about how to involve children in decision-making? This new guide is for you

As we launch Listen, Engage, Have Fun: Guide On Involving Children in Child Rights Impact Assessment (CRIA) and Child Rights Impact Evaluation (CRIE), Information Officer Gillian Munro blogs on the importance of children’s participation.

Moving your body is good for your mind

In the first of our Putting The World To Rights series – where young people blog about issues that matter to them – Farrell, 15, writes about the right to the best possible health, focusing on his love of exercise.

Age assessments: Why they must be rights-respecting 

Child refugees’ rights have been violated by the Nationality and Borders Act. Leah Duncan-Karrim writes about the impact age assessments have on children’s human rights.

Birthday podcasts: The Handover

This third and final episode focuses on what it's like to come to the end of a Children's Commissioner's fixed term, to have unfinished business, and to hand over to a successor to take on your work.

Birthday podcasts: Making it happen

The second episode of our birthday podcast where Bruce, Tam and Kathleen explore the changes they've been able to make, and the challenges they have faced along the way.