In its October 2008 report on the UK, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child expressed concern 'at the general climate of intolerance and negative public attitudes towards children, especially adolescents'.
Young Equals is campaigning to get protection from age discrimination for children and young people. It is supported by many charities and individual children and young people.
Young Equals is coordinated by the Children's Rights Alliance for England. The campaign has recently launched a publication called Making the case. The report challenges the Government's position that there is "little evidence" of harmful age discrimination against children and young people and questions why the Government is really failing to extend legal protection from age discrimination to under-18s. This dossier of evidence brings together a wide range of examples of age discrimination against children and young people. The document includes evidence from children, young people and adults gathered as part of the Young Equals Day of Action, held in August 2008.
Public and commercial services are not allowed to discriminate on the grounds of race, sex, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation. We want this protection to be extended so that public and commercial services cannot discriminate on the grounds of age. Other countries like Australia, Finland and Sweden already prohibit age discrimination.
The Equality Bill was published at the end of April 2009. The Government is not convinced that children and young people should receive any new protection, and UK Youth will be supporting the Young Equals Campaign to amend the legislation as it passes through Parliament.
To find out more about the campaign, or to sign up, visit:
http://www.crae.org.uk/protecting/age-discrimination.html