Julie Morgan MS, Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
This year marks the fifth year since the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child published its 2016 Concluding Observations report into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The report was informed by evidence from all parts of the United Kingdom. At the time, the Committee took note of Wales’ progress in relation to children’s rights.
We have made significant progress against many areas and recommendations and I welcome the opportunity to provide an overview of progress since the 2016 report was published.
In March 2020, the Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 received Royal Assent. The Act will come into force in March 2022 and will prohibit the physical punishment of children in Wales. In January 2020, Senedd Cymru passed the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020. This act lowers the voting age to 16 and empowers young people to engage in the democratic process. Both of these were recommendations were included in the 2016 Concluding Observations report.
As a government, we remain committed to promoting and supporting children rights and enabling children and young people to realise their rights.
The full progress report can be found here.