Issue 46 September 2009 - Scottish Human Rights Commission update

Since becoming fully operational on December 10, 2008 the Scottish Human Rights Commission has engaged with a wide range of activities across the country, engaging with partners, planning our
work for the short term and long term, and is already fulfilling its
role as the National Human Rights Commission for Scotland.

As a result of the nationwide consultation which took place in
the first few months of 2009, the work of the Commission has
started with a wide range of valuable insight and advice from the
public, private and voluntary sector on current human rights issues
in Scotland. In total the consultation gathered feedback from over
250 groups, organisations and individuals from all eight regions of
Scotland, taking in face-to-face meetings from Lerwick to Dumfries
over a three month period as well as written feedback and specialist
sector meetings. The feedback received was constructive, positive
and practical, and highlights the clear desire in other organisations
to recognise and respect human rights not just at legislative and policy level but in their day-to-day operations, to see a fairer and more positive role for human rights in the media, and there was enthusiasm for our Commission fulfilling our international role.
All of the information collected during the consultation was
carefully analysed and has informed our strategy development, helping us to refine our goals, giving us the data to determine the criteria used to prioritise our work. The consultation also helped us to shape what we want to achieve as a Commission and helped us to clarify how we will achieve it. The consultation process overall has
been invaluable in shaping the long-term vision, the medium term
priorities and in determining the immediate projects of the Commission. Two important documents have emerged from the consultation: our Strategic Plan, and our Operational Plan.
The Strategic Plan
The Strategic Plan for the Commission covers the period from
2008–2012, sets out our four strategic priorities to cover this period. These are:
1. Promoting and protecting human dignity in Scotland.
2. Addressing emerging human rights issues.
3. Bringing human rights to life.
4. Supporting human rights in the world.
These priority areas, shaped during the consultation, will help take human rights beyond the formalities of the legal system and into the lives of everyone in Scotland.
In promoting and protecting human dignity there will be two major ongoing projects - firstly to “map” human rights in Scotland, showing where best practice exists pursuant to the fulfilment of human rights, and where there are gaps in legislation, practice and policy, and, secondly, to promote and protect human dignity in care, working alongside regulatory bodies, care providers and care users. The second strategic priority will see the Commission address emerging issues such as responding to Bills, consultations and policy documents, engaging in public debate and working on the emerging issues of human rights and climate change, and human rights and business. The third priority, bringing human rights to life, means engaging with education, the media, and culture in all its forms in Scotland, fostering an awareness of human rights throughout the learning process and promoting a human rights-based approach with education partners. Our aim here is to begin to increase public recognition of human rights, rather than focus on human wrongs. The last priority, supporting human rights in the world, engages the Commission in our role as a National Human Rights Institution with other NHRIs and on global issues such as conflict, climate change and development. Key to all of these priorities is a commitment to transparency and accountability in everything we do, taking into account risk management, freedom of information, complaints and staff development and improvement.
The Operational Plan
The Operational Plan, which covers the period from 2008–2010, sets out the projects and activities we will undertake and includes specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound objectives so that our progress can be monitored by all over time. The Operational Plan sharpens the details of how we bring our vision of a fairer and outward-looking Scotland where human dignity, participation and accountability are at the heart of social and human
progress into our project planning and day-to-day workloads. Scoping out each of the four priorities into specific projects, the Operational Plan sets out a timescale and budget for progress over the next year and will allow our partners and stakeholders an opportunity to see how we break down all elements of our work.
Our Mission
Our mission as a Commission is to promote and protect ever yone’s human rights - civil, political, economic, social and cultural - in contemporary Scotland. In communicating our work we have recently launched a new website for the Commission (www.scottishhumanrights.com), with a large selection of video and audio content covering our international role, economic and social rights, our outreach work, and dignity in care. A full events diary covering not only our activities but also events taking place in Scotland with a human rights element to them is also included, from arts festivals to public sector events to training opportunities, and all the information is presented in a way which we hope encourages the general public as well as specialist audiences to take part in events and connect with the human rights community in Scotland. Two innovative aspects of the website should have specific appeal to students, young people and academics: a regularly updated podcast series covering current issues, as well as the general
work of the Commission, (which is also available to subscribe to from iTunes), and the first online library of this Journal in a fully searchable publications section. By hosting content not only on our own website but also on global hosts including YouTube we hope the host of online features will build interest in human rights in Scotland in the general public, as well as providing subject-specific information for the legal profession, academics, researchers and policy makers. We would warmly invite you all to sign up to our quarterly newsletter to receive regular Commission updates. Feedback on the website and all aspects of our work is also welcome at hello@scottishhumanrights.com, and please also let us know if you would like printed copies of our publications, including a Report on the Nationwide Consultation.