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25/06/09
UN Human Rights Council supports new international standards on child care
EveryChild is pleased to announce that the UN Human Rights Council has adopted an important resolution which affects the UN guidelines on alternative care for children. These guidelines clearly set out that the best forms of care for children are family-based, and institutional care should only be used as a last resort. They also recommend that countries should invest in family-based alternatives, such as adoption and kinship care.
The guidelines will now be taken into consideration by the General Assembly. Child rights organisations hope that the guidelines will be adopted in November in time for the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child (CRC).
EveryChild was actively involved in drafting the guidelines, along with 60 different government missions and NGOs. Child rights organisations have said for a long time that the CRC is not explicit enough in addressing issues affecting children growing up without parental care.
Anna Feuchtwang, Chief Executive of EveryChild said:
‘We welcome the submission of the guidelines to the UN General Assembly by the Human Rights Council. This is a massive step forward in the fight against the needless separation of children from their families and communities. There is growing international commitment to the right of every child to a safe and secure family free from poverty, abuse and exploitation. With over 8 million children still residing in residential children's homes the neeed for clear international standards that prioritise family based care is clear. EveryChild will be working with others to urge the UK Government and other member states to support the resolution when it comes to the General Assembly to ensure the guidelines are ratified in time for the 20th anniversary of the UNCRC.'
