A child rights project launched by a leading global charity has received support from Tower Hamlets Council.

The council is one of six local authorities taking part in the Child Rights Partners Project with UNICEF, which aims to put more emphasis on children’s rights in local government.

The council has signed up to a Child Rights Charter which will state what child rights pledges are expected of the council and other organisations in the borough that work with children and young people.

Applicants for the Youth Opportunity Fund which gives up to £3,500 for projects in the borough will fail unless they show how they will meet child rights requirements.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman said: “We are proud to be involved with UNICEF in this project, which we hope will lead to a step-change in how children are treated by public organisations in this country.

“We are convinced that adopting a rights focus towards children will help us to achieve better outcomes, improve lives and get even better value for money.

David Bull, executive director of UNICEF UK, said: “By putting child rights into public services in a tangible way, we hope to show we can radically change practice, and therefore outcomes, for all of the United Kingdom’s children and young people.”