New report on first year of Scotland's National Action Plan for Human Rights

On 10 December, Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights (SNAP) is one year old. It shares its birthday with the United Nations International Human Rights Day, the date of the founding of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948.

Professor Alan Miller, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission and Chair of the SNAP Leadership Panel introduced the Year One Report by saying,

“Human rights have a great deal to add to discussions about building the kind of society Scotland wants to be.

 “SNAP’s first year has been characterised by building partnerships and working together, seeking to change strategic and operational processes so that better outcomes follow in people’s lives.

“Five Human Rights Action Groups have been convened to take forward the commitments in SNAP. These Action Groups bring together public sector, civil society and membership organisations. In this first year, they have focused on agreeing ways of working, identifying specific steps to be taken and beginning to put plans into action.

“As we move into year two, we must build on successes – such as the clear commitment to embedding human rights in the integration of health and social care – and capitalise on opportunities to put human rights at the heart of newly-energised public debates about Scotland’s future.”

The report is a central part of ensuring transparency and accountability in SNAP’s implementation. It will be presented to the Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee on 25 November ahead of a wider debate in the Scottish Parliament on 4 December.

A series of events will take place around Scotland to mark SNAP's birthday and International Human Rights Day on 10 December. A social media campaign - #OurRightsSNAP - will also celebrate the role of human rights in everyday life.