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Hillary Clinton programme for children’s rights launched at Welsh university

The initiative is the first since Swansea University’s school of law was named after the former secretary of state and presidential hopeful.

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Hillary Clinton on a visit to Wales (Ben Birchall/PA)

A Welsh university has collaborated with Hillary Clinton to launch a scholarship programme aimed at championing children’s human rights.

Swansea University is working with the former US Secretary of State and presidential hopeful and the Welsh Government to launch the Hillary Rodham Clinton PhD Research Scholarship Programme.

Mrs Clinton was awarded an honorary doctorate from the South Wales university in October last year and at the same time its college of law was renamed The Hillary Rodham Clinton School of law.

First minister Carwyn Jones said Wales had been the first nation in the world to appoint a children’s commissioner, an independent champion for children and young people, ensuring their voices were heard at a local, nation and international level.

“This exciting new partnership between Hillary Clinton, Swansea University and the Welsh Government, will build on the progress we have made so far and help Wales to become a world leader in championing children’s rights,” he said.

It is planned that the investment, co-funded by Swansea University and the Welsh Government, will fund three cohorts of PhD students and the programme will also develop reports, seminars and policy digests in areas such as embedding children’s rights within policy and practice at governmental level, developing the Youth Parliament for Wales and the impact of fiscal austerity on children’s rights.

Professor Phillip Bobbitt, Professor Elwen Evans QC, Mrs Clinton and Jane Williams discuss the launch of the programme (Paula Lobo/PA)
Professor Phillip Bobbitt, Professor Elwen Evans QC, Mrs Clinton and Jane Williams discuss the launch of the programme (Paula Lobo/PA)

Of the new programme he said: “It builds on the groundbreaking work of our Observatory on the Rights of Children and Young People and we are proud that this programme will encompass scholars from our international partner institutions.”

Prof Davies added that the Welsh Government’s support was “vitally important” and was a sign of the “centrality of children’s rights to policy and lawmaking in Wales”.

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