This House of Lords Library Briefing provides information on children’s rights to mark Universal Children’s Day on 20 November 2019.
Children’s Rights in 2019 (308KB PDF)
Universal Children’s Day is celebrated on 20 November each year. It aims to “promote togetherness” and improve children’s welfare. This year will mark the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which established 54 articles that set out children’s rights. The UK ratified the UNCRC in 1991. According to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), four “general principles” are fundamental to realising all rights in the UNCRC convention. These are: non-discrimination; best interest of the child; right to life survival and development; and right to be heard.
This House of Lords Library Briefing provides an overview of recent developments within the UK in terms of children’s rights. It then explores current United Nations (UN) priorities for children’s rights globally, before ending with background information on the UNCRC.
Children’s Rights in 2019 (308KB PDF)
The UK is a signatory to the convention establishing an international claims commission for Ukraine. The commission would assess claims for compensation for damage and losses caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The House of Lords International Agreements Committee has broadly welcomed the convention, but also raised concerns about the scope and efficacy of the commission.
Recent tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina have raised concerns about stability and security in the country, particularly due to reports of external influence and recent secessionist rhetoric in Republika Srpska. This briefing outlines recent developments, international responses and the UK government’s position on Bosnia and Herzegovina ahead of a House of Lords debate on the subject.
The government established a taskforce in July 2024 to develop a strategy to reduce child poverty in the UK. Published in December 2025, the strategy included a combination of previously implemented and new policies. While charities, think tanks and other groups generally welcomed the strategy, particularly the removal of the two-child universal credit limit and extension of free school meals, some argued for further reforms to the social security system.
