Scottish Human Rights Commission publishes Annual Report 2025 2026
Today the Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) publishes its Annual Report 2025-26. It shows the SHRC's work in the second year of their Strategic Plan 2024-28.
As Scotland's human rights watchdog, the SHRC listens to people and speak up when things go wrong.
What the SHRC did for human rights in 2025-26:
- SHRC achieved top UN 'A status' as Scotland's independent National Human Rights Institution, for the fourth time
- SHRC worked with Gypsy Travellers on 'No Man's Land', our human rights analysis of the 'Tinker Experiment' in which people were forced to give up their way of life. It found continuing harm, including unsafe housing, cultural loss, discrimination and poor health. Victims have a right to redress and the report called for reparations.
- SHRC listened to people in the South of Scotland about their rights to housing, health, food and education
- SHRC published our 'State of the Nation' report, which found many people cannot afford food, fuel and housing
- SHRC helped people in prison to know and claim their rights, with the first Scottish guide to the Prison Rules
- SHRC heard from 33 families whose loved ones died in custody, and shared their experiences with the Independent Review on Fatal Accident Inquiries
- SHRC used our legal powers in court for the first time in a judicial review of Scottish Government policy.
The SHRC laid the report before the Scottish Parliament on Friday 30 October 2026.
Read the Annual Report 2025-26
Read the screen reader accessible Word version
Watch the British Sign Language version
Professor Angela O'Hagan, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, said:
"Across Scotland, and around the world, human rights are under threat. People in Scotland are going hungry, cannot afford housing and cannot access basic services like healthcare where and when they need it. In this context, human rights are more important than ever.
"We are here to listen and take the knowledge of what is going on in people's everyday lives directly back to the Scottish Parliament.
"Scotland needs a strong human rights watchdog, and I am honoured to report that the SHRC has been re-accredited as an 'A status' human rights body, here to serve the people of Scotland."
ENDS
For media enquiries, email media@scottishhumanrights.com.
Notes to editors
- The SHRC is Scotland's human rights watchdog and the National Human Rights Institution for Scotland, with 'A status' accreditation from the UN.
- SHRC's job is to work with people and communities to understand their experiences, hold public bodies to account where human rights are not upheld, and help them to do better.
- The publication of this Annual Report meets Sections 15 and 16 of the Scottish Commission for Human Rights Act 2006.