HC Deb 19 January 1988 vol 125 cc638-9W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement outlining the progress which has been made concerning the rewording of the United Nations declaration on the rights of the child; and why such a rewording is necessary;

(2) if he will make it his policy that any reworded declaration on the rights of the child should retain within its preamble a statement on the need to provide legal protection before as well as after birth;

(3) if he will make it his policy that any reworded declaration on the rights of the child should reaffirm the principle which the current declaration contains that the best interests of the child shall be the paramount consideration in the enactment of laws;

(4) if he will make it his policy that any reworded declaration on the rights of the child should reaffirm the principle which the current declaration contains that the child who is physically, mentally or socially handicapped shall be given the special treatment, education and care required by his particular condition;

(5) on what date the declaration on the rights of the child was ratified by Her Majesty's Government:

(6) what steps he has taken to ensure that the United Nations declaration on the rights of the child is consistent with Her Majesty's Government's policy on abortion.

Mr. Eggar

The declaration of the rights of the child was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1959. As a declaration, it is not open for signature or ratification, and there are no moves to reword or amend it. However, the UN Commission on Human Rights is currently engaged in drafting a convention on the rights of the child. This will be binding on those states which ratify it.

In our approach to the draft convention, which is still undergoing its first reading, we shall have both our national policies and the principles of the declaration firmly in mind. Much work remains to be done before negotiations can be completed.

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