In the last few years, the Commission has become increasingly concerned about economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights in the Highlands and Islands. ESC rights are necessary to live a life free from fear and want, examples include:

We have been particularly concerned about the lack of available data for monitoring in the Highlands and Islands, when compared with the rest of Scotland. By listening to the lived experiences of residents and organisations in the area, as well as through our human rights treaty monitoring work, we identified specific issues affecting rural and island communities, such as:

• Slow and inaccessible health care services
• Lack of affordable housing
• Limited access to sufficient and nutritious food
• Poverty related gaps in education
• Limited access to technology and poor internet connectivity
• Fuel poverty

This project is a step toward filling the gaps in human rights data and making sure that rural and island communities have their economic, social, and cultural rights met.

We aim to bear witness to the lived experiences of people and communities across the Highlands and Islands, to raise awareness of human rights issues in these areas with decision-makers and to highlight the need for a geographically-specific approach to Scottish law and policy.

This project will also pilot the Commission's new monitoring model for economic, social and cultural rights that aims to directly engage with communities across the country and witness the issues first-hand, all with a view to scaling this up to include other areas.