Statement on the Full and Direct Incorporation of the UNCRC into Domestic Law

Statement on the Full and Direct Incorporation of the UNCRC into Domestic Law

As the Commissioners and Ombudsman for Children in our five respective jurisdictions – Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Jersey – we jointly reaffirm our commitment to the full and direct incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into domestic law across all jurisdictions within our network.

Incorporation is a vital step to ensure that the rights – civil, political, economic, social, and cultural – of every child are not only recognised but protected and upheld in law, policy, and practice. Article 4 of the UNCRC places a clear obligation on States Parties to take “all appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures” for the implementation of the rights recognised in the Convention. Incorporation gives real and enforceable weight to this obligation, ensuring that children’s rights are not aspirational but actionable.

We welcome the positive progress made in several of our jurisdictions. Scotland has passed legislation to incorporate the UNCRC to the fullest extent possible within a devolved jurisdiction, setting a powerful example of how the law can be used to centre children’s rights
in public life. Wales continues to build on its Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 with further work on impact frameworks and policy coherence. In Jersey, significant steps have also been taken to embed the UNCRC in legislation and policy through the Children (Convention Rights) (Jersey) Law 2022.

The incorporation of the UNCRC into domestic law is not symbolic—it is transformative. It has the potential to change the everyday lives of babies, children, young people, and families by embedding a rights-based approach in the decisions that affect them. This is crucial for all children and particularly so for those facing the greatest adversity, including children with disabilities, those in care, young people experiencing poverty, and those from minority or marginalised communities. Incorporation strengthens the legal and institutional frameworks that protect children and ensures their voices are heard.

Moreover, evidence from Norway and Sweden shows that incorporation leads to more transparent, equitable and accountable policy-making. It improves the quality and effectiveness of public services by ensuring decisions are guided by a clear and consistent rights framework. In turn, this results in more efficient use of public spending by addressing the root causes of inequality and ensuring that resources are directed where they are most needed and will have the greatest impact.

We, as independent institutions established to promote and safeguard the rights of children, call on our respective governments to act with urgency and ambition. Incorporating the UNCRC into domestic law is not only a legal and moral obligation – it is a commitment to building a society where all children are seen, heard, and valued.

 

• 30 June 2026
• Type: Statement
• Topic: UNCRC