Response to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
The EHRC welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the CRC on the UK’s compliance with the UN Children’s Rights Convention’s Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (CRC OPSC) .We welcome the steps the UK Government and Scottish Government are taking to improve compliance with CRC OPSC in respect to child trafficking and forced labour, for example, the draft Modern Slavery Bill for England and Wales, and the similar proposals for new legislation in Scotland. However, we consider that further steps should be taken to:
- improve data collection and analysis to ensure the true extent and nature of child trafficking and forced labour in the UK is understood;
- provide bodies with responsibility for implementing law and policy in this area with sufficient independence, remits, powers and resources to effectively fulfil their roles;
- improve, where necessary, draft legislation to ensure that all acts of trafficking and forced labour, including in relation to children, are criminalised and that the law is clear, simple and easy to use;
- review and strengthen guidance for prosecuting child trafficking cases, to ensure the best interests of the child is a primary consideration;
- improve the identification and protection of child victims and those at risk of trafficking or forced labour;
- improve services to support child victims, including the introduction of a Trafficking Care Standard, the appointment of guardians for separated children, and access to compensation; and
- address concerns about access to justice and civil legal aid for child victims.
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Last Updated: 09 Jun 2014