WEDNESDAY’S report of the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child wonderfully includes plaudits from the remarkable 13-year-old Hannah Richardson (Young people question First Minister on World Children’s Day, thenational.scot, November 20). I’m sure Greta Thunberg would approve!
They include: “It’s important that children have rights because rights are not there to let us boss our parents or adults around. They are there to protect us from harm and help us grow up safe and happy.”
The decision of the Scottish Government to incorporate the UNCRC into Scots law by the end of the current parliamentary session is a major encouraging landmark. However, it should be noted that the convention does not yet specify “the right for children to connect with nature outdoors frequently”.
I’d like to think Hannah would agree that “happiness” could be heightened if an article to that effect was incorporated.
David Ashford
Isleornsay, Isle of Skye
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