AYJ joins organisations making Joint Statement urging UK government to act on human rights
The AYJ has joined over 80 Civil Society organisations in making a Joint Statement calling on the UK Government to implement recommendations from the UK’s Universal Periodic Review. The four-yearly assessment of whether UN Member States are upholding human rights took place this November. As set out in the Joint Statement, the Review highlighted a wide range of areas where the UK Government is failing to meet its international legal obligations, prompting member states of the UN Human Rights Council to urge the UK Government to “take action to better realise rights in the UK… particularly for disabled people, children, women, Black and other racialised groups, migrants and those seeking asylum”.
The Review resulted in 302 recommendations, and the UN Human Rights Council called on the UK Government to act on realising the human rights of millions of people during a time of economic instability and uncertainty. Recommendations included:
raising the age of criminal responsibility to at least 14
ending the solitary confinement of children in detention
ending racial disproportionality in the youth justice system
The Joint Statement identifies the “excellent opportunity” posed by the Universal Periodic Review for the government to demonstrate worldwide its commitment to upholding human rights.
More information can be found here.