Meeting of the Parliament 08 December 2020
I am grateful for the cross-party support from members in acknowledging the 70th anniversary of human rights day and allowing the debate to go ahead.
Thursday 10 December 2020 marks 70 years since the United Nations invited states to celebrate an international human rights day to mark the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. Human rights day is an international reminder of the critically important progress that still needs to be made to protect and realise human rights to their fullest extent, and a day on which we look to states to continue to increase their progress on human rights.
With that in mind, I take the opportunity to echo concerns that have been raised about the United Kingdom Tory Government’s intention to review the Human Rights Act 1998. We must be alive to the threat to human rights protections in Scotland, and the weakening of citizens’ rights across the UK, post-Brexit. It is crucial that we receive clarity on the scope of that review and its impact on devolved matters and Scotland’s separate legal jurisdiction.
My understanding is that there has been no consultation with the Scottish Government. Perhaps the Minister for Older People and Equalities could, in summing up, speak to that and update members on what action the Scottish Government intends to take in that regard. Scotland is a country that is committed to standing up for human rights, and the European convention on human rights is hardwired into the Scotland Act 1998. Any plans from the UK Government to bypass the devolved Governments or water down protections must be robustly challenged.
The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted states’ approaches to human rights globally, with Governments being required to balance the need for restrictions to save lives with the potential impact of those restrictions on the human rights of their citizens. This year, as we live through the pandemic, we have seen deep-seated inequalities that have stubbornly persisted for decades highlighted and, in many cases, exacerbated. The harms that the pandemic has caused, and those resulting from the measures that have been put in place to manage it and save lives, have not been felt equally, and our Governments’ responses should continue to reflect that. In the decisions that are made, the importance of ensuring fairness and quality of life for all our citizens must be not only considered but acted on.
However, among all those things, we have seen wonderful work executed speedily, with the needs of our people right at the centre. For years, campaigners have called for dignified food provision, accessible information, online classes and support for those who are affected by loneliness and isolation. This year, in a matter of weeks, those things became really quite mainstream. More than that, we got to a place where no one had to sleep rough on the streets.
However, endeavours to respect, protect and fulfil human rights go beyond the immediate response to Covid-19. At the same time as the Tory Government seems to be intent on weakening citizens’ rights post-Brexit, the Scottish National Party Government is instead working to strengthen them.
During its passage through Parliament, the important United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill has received widespread support from a range of stakeholders, and—perhaps most importantly—from children and young people themselves. It demonstrates our Government’s commitment to human rights and to the full realisation of children’s rights.
I end by acknowledging the work of the national task force for human rights leadership, which was established by the First Minister. The task force is working to establish a new statutory framework for human rights that will bring internationally recognised human rights into domestic law and protect the human rights of every member of Scottish society.
Scotland has an important role to play in promoting international dialogue and respect for fundamental human rights, and I thank every single human rights defender in our country who helps to do just that. I ask us all to use human rights day to reaffirm our commitment, lead by example and ensure that the rights of the people of Scotland are respected, protected and fulfilled.