By Professor Alan Miller, Chair, Scottish Human Rights Commission

Tomorrow, Saturday 10 December, is International Human Rights Day, and celebrates the 63rd anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. The UDHR, the foundation of all international human rights law and standards, retains its universality and validity in our times and it is worth reminding ourselves of its first words which are that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”. Human Rights Day is an opportunity for not just human rights activists to celebrate but is a chance for all of us in every walk of life to reflect on these words, what they really mean in our own lives, in the lives of others, in our broader society and in our aspirations for the future.

A time for optimism

At first glance it may appear that Scotland’s recent human rights agenda has been dominated by such over-heated criminal justice issues as the Cadder case and its aftermath. Certainly, at a UK level human rights has been given a toxicity due in large part to sustained media coverage of grossly misleading statement from UK Ministers criticising judgements of and calling for a weakening of the European Court of Human Rights and for the repeal of the Human Rights Act and its substitution by a weaker UK Bill of Rights. All of this does undoubtedly give the false impression that human rights are the exclusive preserve of those who were involved in such court cases – prisoners, suspects, asylum seekers and immigrants - and that human rights are of little or no relevance to the rest of people.

Of course, the reality could not be more different. Just as prisoners, suspects, asylum seekers and immigrants do indeed have rights as human beings, so too do those members of the community who in these times of austerity are facing insecurities in social and health care, housing, education, employment, etc. and particularly those who are most vulnerable due to age, disability or gender, etc. It is more and not less protection of human rights that is needed by the public and it is more and not less public accountability of the government that is needed.

If the past year has then been challenging then I am pleased to be able to report that the Commission, in cooperation with others, has effectively faced up to this challenge and I am in fact optimistic about the year ahead.

Our progress so far

The Care about Rights project has been independently evaluated and convincingly demonstrates the public benefit of a human rights based approach. Its generic lessons are now able to be adapted and developed in other areas of public policy. Similarly, the potential benefit of integrated human rights and equality impact assessments for public policy, budget and decision-making - especially in the current difficult economic circumstances - has been recognised and the Commission will be working with all relevant actors over the next year to develop best practice guidance.

Work for 2012 - defending the Human Rights Act

Most significantly, the results of the “mapping” carried out over this past year will be published in 2012 and provide an evidence base for the shaping of Scotland’s National Action Plan for human rights. The Commission will be engaging with the public, Parliament and Government in this process and preliminary discussions have been very encouraging. Next year’s recommendations from the UN Universal Periodic Review (read SHRC's submission) will also feed into this process.

At a UK and European level I am pleased to report that the Commission has been effectively engaged in defending the Human Rights Act and opposing a proposed weaker UK Bill of Rights (read our submission / watch video) as well as defending the role of the European Court of Human Rights. The Commission has done so in its capacity as an official representative of Scotland on the Advisory Panel of the UK Commission of Inquiry on a UK Bill of Rights and in its capacity as the recently elected Chair of the European Group of National Human Rights Institutions. Developments over the past few days and weeks lead me to think that the efforts of the Commission and others will prove to be successful.

Globally, celebrations tomorrow will be focussed on the impact of social media and human rights, and a list of online events taking place is below - there are some great opportunities to pose questions and add your voice to the international discussion about human rights in this time of great technological change. 2011 has been described by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, as “the year human rights went viral” and we are seeing more clearly than ever the power of the internet to bring about change, share stories, and monitor human rights violations in distant countries as well as on our doorstep. And we are also joining in with the social media revolution – you can follow us on Twitter @scothumanrights.

Join in and celebrate International Human Rights Day 

Global Conversation on Human Rights
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, will answer questions from social media users on 9 December from 9:30am to 10:30am New York time (EST). The event can be watched live on Facebook (www.facebook.com/unitednationshumanrights) and on the UN Website (www.un.org/webcast ) in Arabic, Chinese and English. The moderator of the event is Imran Garda of Al Jazeera. Questions may be sent via Twitter using the hash tag #AskRights or posted on the events page of the UN’s Human Rights Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/ui695J

Press Conference
Navi Pillay, will hold a press conference at the UN in New York on Friday 9 December at 12noon in the Dag Hammarskjold Auditorium. Watch the live webcast at www.un.org/webcast

Panel Discussion on Social Media and Human Rights

The Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kyung-wha Kang, will moderate an event in Geneva on 9 December from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, which will examine the transformational role of social media. Panellists include bloggers from Egypt, Mexico, Tunisia, Uganda and the United Kingdom. The event can be watched live on the UN Website (www.un.org/webcast).  

More online

 www.CelebrateHumanRights.org encourages people to choose their favourite human right from the Universal Declaration, blow out the birthday candles and make a wish for everyone, everywhere to enjoy that right. The campaign also features a specially produced “mash up” video, which can be viewed at http://youtu.be/dshuhuOGWao produced by electronic music and video artist Pogo whose material has been watched more than 35 million times on the Internet.