About human rights

The Commission is here to promote and protect the human rights of everyone in Scotland. We want to help you find out more about your human rights. If you need help or support with a human rights issue there is more information on the Help page.

Where do human rights come from?

Human rights belong to everyone, everywhere, regardless

of nationality, sexuality, gender, race, religion or age. The foundation of modern human rights is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The 30 articles of the Declaration were adopted in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly, and have been integrated and enhanced over time into national laws and international treaties. The core values of the UDHR - human dignity, fairness, equality, non-discrimination - apply to everyone, everywhere.

Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is marked every year by celebrating the anniversary

of the Universal Declaration on 10 December. The UDHR was 60 years old on 10 December 2008, and the Scottish Human Rights Commission marked the anniversary with a reception at the Scottish Parliament.