The Importance Of Human Rights In Scotland

It can be said that human rights is under attack from the UK Government. Although it is apparent that human rights is advocated by the Scottish Government, however the real conundrum is the failure of the public sector to deliver on existing human rights.

Fixing that problem should occupy the political energy and practical action of our elected politicians with a consequent gain of the public understanding that human rights are relevant and powerful in making our lives better, and Scotland fairer.

The Scottish Government’s obligation to preserve basic human rights emerges with the introduction of the UK Trade Union Bil and the disputed issue of whether a legislative consent motion is required from the Scottish Parliament.

Human rights

Nevertheless, such rights as the mentioned above are seen to be futile unless and untill the initiation of instruments and which would require duty bearers to administer said rights and monitoring instruments/mechanisms to supervise any impacts.

There is a need for a cultural shift in Scotland, which is supported by action. It was explained by Megan Maccinnes from Global Witness in the recent Scottish Human Rights Commission and Scottish Government ‘Innocation Forum’ it is not easy to imagine the route taken by Scotland which landed it in its current situation – where it si seen that many discourse in regards to human rights is mostly centred arround one mechanisms and is used to block land reform. She went on to add that this is absurd and is seen to be a reverse on how human rights and land reform are associated in the international

In regards to the European Covenant of Human Rights, it is crucial to note that the Scottish Parliament have recognised “its constitutionl responsibiity to uphold the principles and values expressed in the convention and to respect, protect and realise the rights and freedoms that it enumerates; further acknowledges the importance of that work not only in relations to Scotland, but also in establishing and maintaining standarfd of best practice, which provide a benchmark for human rights elsewhere in the world”.

In the July 2015 report the UN Human Rights Committee adviced the UK that it should in fact “ensure that any legislation passed in lieu of the Human Rights Act 1998, were such legislation to be passed, would be aimed at strengthening the status of international human rights, including the provisions of the Covenant, in the domestic legal order and provide effective protection of those rights across all