The CashBack for Communities programme aims to recognise, respect and promote children’s rights. These include rights to be treated fairly, to be heard and to be as healthy as possible.
The Scottish Government’s vision is a Scotland where children’s human rights are embedded in all aspects of society.
With support from Inspiring Scotland, CashBack for Communities partners have worked to formally embed children’s rights across their projects.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) articulates the human rights for children and young people. The UNCRC was ratified by the UK Government in 1991.
The Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) is the tool used and promoted by the Scottish Government. CashBack partners have used CRWIAs to ensure that policies and procedures advance the rights and wellbeing of children and young people, in line with the UNCRC.
the Impact Assessment at service level really makes you think about your plan, and how will you achieve that…it gives you the opportunity to look at specific parts of your service-delivery and each of the [UNCRC] Articles that pertain to that and look at problem solving.
Kerry Watson, Service Manager at Cyrenians
For a short summary of the UNCRC articles which impact most upon CashBack partners, please see the video below:
To read how each CashBack partner has assessed their CashBack project in line with the UNCRC and how, for example, they listen to the views of young people in developing CashBack projects, you can read each of their Children’s Rights and Wellbeing assessments on their respective CashBack partner pages
CashBack partners also make use of the Scottish Government’s children’s rights training tool to ensure all their relevant staff have a broad overview of children’s rights and the many rights-based frameworks and legislation which support children in Scotland as well as internationally.
The Scottish Government tool helps organisations and individuals improve their rights-awareness and practice, and includes advice on how to complete a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment and how to include children and young people in decision-making.
To learn more about children’s rights in Scotland, please visit the Scottish Government children’s rights home page.
Linking Children’s Rights to Sustainable Development Goals
The nature and type of project funded through CashBack for Communities present a substantial connection between the United Nations’ frameworks of both the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). The two frameworks offer mutual advocacy and implementation.
A process to explore the mapping of the UNCRC and SDG has been started to reflect on the aspirations for impact of the CashBack fund. With particular reference to UNICEF’s interactive mapping document profiling interconnectivity in frameworks, and that of Scottish Government’s Performance Framework (which shares the same aims as UNSDG). The fund most substantially contributes to UNSDG societal goals:
The “Decade of Action” to accelerate progress on the SDGs between 2020 and 2030, seeks to increase the prominence and importance of both child rights and the successful achievement of the SDG. Scottish Government is committed to UNICEF recommendation of participating in a Voluntary National Review (VNR). The CashBack for Communities fund positively contributes to these recommendations, including those contributing to key asks (Scottish Government’s implementation of UNCRC); monitoring; investment; and activation.
