Julie Morgan MS, Deputy Minister for Social Services
The United Nations (UN) Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) published the List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR) report of the combined sixth and seventh reports of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in February 2021. The United Kingdom Government published its report in response to the List of issues on 15 June 2022.
The UN Committee’s LOIPR report provides questions for the UK State party on both devolved and non-devolved areas and this report provides updates on progress in Wales on policy areas that are the responsibility for the Welsh Government.
I am pleased to publish this important overview of progress in Wales in response to the UN LOIPR report. I am very conscious that this report is set against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit and a cost of living crisis. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children and young people should not be underestimated and this report provides details of the numerous actions taken as a government to support children and young people.
During the reporting period there have been a number of significant achievements which are highlighted in this report. In March of this year, I published our Children and Young People’s Plan, which places the UNCRC at its heart. Other key achievements include the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 which came into force on 21 March 2022 and the lowering of the voting age to include 16 and 17 year olds in Welsh Government and local elections.
I want Wales to be a wonderful place to grow up, live and to work, where all children and young people are valued, and this report sets out our progress in striving to reach those goals. The UN Wales report is available on the Welsh Government’s website, a link is provided below.
https://gov.wales/united-nations-convention-rights-child-welsh-government-report-2022