Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group
The Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group is a national alliance of non-governmental and academic agencies convened and chaired by Save the Children's Wales programme. The Head of Save the Children Wales is the Chair of the group and the Children's Rights and Policy Officer for Save the Children coordinates the work of the group. The group is tasked with monitoring and promoting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in Wales.
The Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group membership includes: Action for Children, Aberystwyth University Centre for Welsh Legal Affairs, Barnardos Cymru, Cardiff University Department of Child Health, Children in Wales, Funky Dragon, Nacro Cymru, NSPCC Cymru, Save the Children Wales (Chair), Swansea University School of Law. Observers: Children’s Commissioner Office for Wales, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Welsh Assembly Government, Welsh Local Government Association, Children and Young People’s Partnership Support Unit.
The Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group was established in July 2002 just prior to the hearing of the UK Government’s 2nd periodic report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva. The Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group has increased in size and strength since this time, resulting in an increasing engagement of NGOs and academic institutions in developing their understanding and other partners’ understanding of the importance of the UNCRC. It has also developed an important constructive yet critical collective voice that monitors the Welsh Assembly Government and UK Government’s obligation to realise the rights of children.
As part of the monitoring process to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child the Group wrote an interim report in 2006 called Righting the wrongs: the reality of children’s rights in Wales. This was the first and most extensive report on the state of children’s rights in Wales and was launched at an oversubscribed conference in Swansea’s Dylan Thomas Centre in January 2006.
In 2007, the Group wrote Stop, look, listen: the road to realising children’s rights which is the Wales NGO Alternative report that was submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child as part of the UK State party reporting process.
Aims of the Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group:
1. To work together to ensure the effective co-ordination of the monitoring of the UNCRC in Wales.
2. To contribute to the development of indicators to follow up on the implementation of the UNCRC.
3. To monitor the implementation of the UNCRC in Wales through gathering information on research and documentation of issues.
4. To ensure arrangements are in place for effective reporting to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child through the Welsh Assembly Government, young people, independent human rights institutions and NGOs working together in this process.
5. To promote the participation of children and young people in monitoring and reporting activities.
6. To identify opportunities for influencing government – Welsh Assembly Government and UK Government.
7. To increase public awareness, particularly of children and young people about the UNCRC
8. To undertake campaigns on issues relating to the UNCRC.
9. To share information and promote networks in Wales.
10. To ensure Wales is represented at UK wide forums and events relating to the UNCRC.