Publications

NIHRC Report to UNCRC Committee

The Human Rights Commission has published its report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. It submitted its report to the Committee in July 2015. The performance of the United Kingdom will be considered by the Committee at a pre-session working group in October 2015. The Committee’s examination of the UK will take place at the United Nations offices in Geneva in June 2016.

The Commission has identified over 30 areas in Northern Ireland which require attention. It has advised that the UN Committee should ask the UK Government, including the Northern Ireland Executive to:

• Take immediate action to increase the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 10 to at least 12 years of age.
• Condemn the ongoing attacks by paramilitary organisations and ask the UK Government and the N.I Executive to take immediate and effective action to address the issue of paramilitary attacks against children.
• Ban smacking of children without delay.
• End Academic Selection-The UN Committee called for academic selection to be abolished in 2008 and despite the end of the 11+, the current system of testing has allowed a ‘two-tier culture’ to remain.