Commission statement on First Minister's speech to Chinese Friendship Association

Responding to a speech given by the First Minister to the Chinese Friendship Association on Sunday, Professor Alan Miller, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission said:

“The Commission welcomes the First Minister’s speech to the Chinese Friendship Association and her clear message that gender equality is a fundamental question of realising universal human rights.

“The First Minister rightly highlights that realising human rights is about giving everyone an equal chance to live in dignity and fulfil their potential. Clearly there is much to be done around the world before that vision can be said to be a reality. The journey that each country still has to travel to achieve that vision is different but international human rights, allied with the new Sustainable Development Goals, give all a roadmap to move forward.

 “The Commission hopes that the First Minister will take this and future opportunities to share lessons from Scotland’s experiences of developing and implementing SNAP – Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights – a progressive approach to making human rights a reality in people’s lives.”