Applications open for two new members of the Commission
The Scottish Parliament is now recruiting for two new part time members of the Scottish Human Rights Commission.
Could you be the right person?
The Scottish Parliament Corporate Body (SPCB) is looking for two talented individuals with experience of operating at a senior organisational level, who have previous non-executive board or committee experience, who have the ability to work collaboratively and who can demonstrate a commitment to human rights.
The SPCB is particularly interested in hearing from people with personal lived experience of human rights issues, disabled people, people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities or from those living in rural and island communities.
About the role
The Parliament is looking to appoint two part-time members who must be able to spend four days a month on Commission business.
The Scottish Human Rights Commission’s role is to promote widespread awareness, understanding of, and respect for human rights.
Find out more about how to apply on the Scottish Parliament’s website.
About the SHRC
The SHRC is Scotland’s human rights watchdog; an independent public body tasked with promoting and protecting the human rights of everyone in Scotland. It is also a National Human Rights Institution, working within the international human rights system and reporting to the United Nations on human rights concerns.
Our mandate – established in the Scottish Commission for Human Rights Act 2006 – includes duties:
- To promote awareness, understanding and respect for all human rights to everyone, everywhere in Scotland, and to encourage best practice in relation to human rights.
- To recommend changes to law, policy and practice.
- To promote human rights through education, training and publishing research.
- To intervene in relevant civil court cases
- To conduct inquiries into the policies and practices of Scottish public authorities.
- To promote and protect the human rights guaranteed by the ECHR.
Professor Angela O’Hagan, Chair of the SHRC, says:
“The new members of the Commission will join an organisation which has recently undertaken a major programme of strategic and operational transformation, to support the realisation of a Scotland where everyone can name and claim their rights, and where there is justice where things go wrong. You can read about this in our Strategic Plan, our new Participation Strategy and new Theory of Change framework.
“Members of the Commission have overseen work to strengthen the Commission’s capacity to deliver more direct monitoring work which engages directly with people and communities to show us where internationally protected human rights aren’t being met, on our doorsteps. This currently focuses on human rights in places of detention; economic, social and cultural rights in different regions of Scotland; rights most at risk, including those of disabled people and the gypsy traveller community; poverty; and a core theme of improving access to justice.
“The Members of the Commission will play a key role over the next 6 years in ensuring that the Commission is enabled with the mandate and resource to play an even stronger role in protecting and promoting all of our human rights.”
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Media enquiries about recruitment via Eric MacLeod at Scottish Parliament Communications email Eric.MacLeod@parliament.scot or mobile 0771 471 3332. Duty Media Officer on 07879 253 130 for daytime and out of hours media calls to the office.
Media enquiries for the Scottish Human Rights Commission via Judy Fladmark judy.fladmark@scottishhumanrights.com or mobile 07880 398530.
Notes to editors:
- The closing date for applications is 12 noon Tuesday 22 April 2025.
- For information on recruitment email officeholder.applications@parliament.scot or call 0131 348 6851.
- The Commission is an independent public body with a duty to promote awareness, understanding and respect for all human rights – economic, social, cultural, civil and political – to everyone, everywhere in Scotland. Our full duties and powers are set out in the Scottish Commission for Human Rights Act 2006.
- You can read the Commission’s Strategic Plan 2024-28
- You can read the Commission’s new Participation Strategy 2024-28