Commenting on proposals for the forthcoming Equality Bill announced in today's Queen's Speech (3 December 2008), Carolyne Willow, national co-ordinator of the Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE), says:

"This Bill must aim to make Britain fairer for everyone and now is the time to introduce protection from age discrimination. Nearly every young person or parent has a story to tell of less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, be this teenagers struggling to get mental health or child protection services, or parents with babies and young children being denied access to public transport. Young people are the least likely of all age groups to have faith in the police and they fail to report even serious crimes committed against them such as sexual and physical assault. A survey carried out last year for the Government found age discrimination to be the most common form of unfair treatment experienced by children and young people. Even the United Nations has commented on Britain's intolerance of children and young people".

"Children have specific age-related needs, but this does not justify prejudice going unchecked. Legislation can be drafted to take into account legitimate differences in treatment – for older people as well as children. Countries like Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland and Sweden protect their young from age discrimination, and so can we."

CRAE has been lobbying since 2005 for the new Equality Bill to include legal protection from less favourable treatment on the grounds of age. It co-ordinates the Young Equals campaign led by major children's and youth charities.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Children's Commissioners for England and Wales, the Metropolitan Police, local authorities, the Discrimination Law Association, the Equality and Diversity Forum, Liberty and many other organisations called for legal protection for children and young people in their submissions to the Government consultation on the Bill last year.

Carolyne Willow adds:

"If we want to create a society which values and includes children and young people, we cannot leave them out of such important legislation. The younger generation are key to building a better society. Ministers must harness the huge commitment to equality that children and young people have and show them that discrimination law can protect everyone, not just adults."