UN High Commissioner meets Commission

The Scottish Human Rights Commission met with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk during his visit to the UK, which included discussions with the heads of UK National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in London. The visit was organised by the UK Ministry of Justice on Tuesday 3 June 2025.

The meeting provided an opportunity to share insights on current human rights challenges and progress across the UK, with a focus on international cooperation and treaty monitoring.

Professor Angela O’Hagan, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, said:

“As Scotland’s National Human Right’s Institution, we welcomed this direct invitation to meet with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on his visit to the UK this week, alongside our fellow NHRIs from Northern Ireland, England and Wales.

"In a challenging landscape for human rights, globally and domestically, the High Commissioner confirmed to us that at the national level, ownership of human rights is best served by NHRIs, as the bridge between international standards, what is happening in people’s lives, and how our laws and policies are impacting on all of our rights. 

"He encouraged us to continue our existing good work to monitor how human rights are being directly experienced in Scotland, to provide advice and guidance to promote better enjoyment of human rights for all, and to strengthen Scotland’s NHRI and human rights legal framework to best promote the rights of everyone in Scotland.”

For media enquiries, please contact:

UN Human Rights spokespeople are available at headquarters in Geneva to answer media inquiries and provide interviews Media Centre | OHCHR Send your media inquiries to OHCHR-media@un.org.

Media enquiries for the Scottish Human Rights Commission via Judy Fladmark  judy.fladmark@scottishhumanrights.com or mobile 07880 398530.

Notes to Editors:

  1. The Scottish Human Rights Commission is Scotland’s human rights watchdog. It is an independent public body, created by the Scottish Commission for Human Rights Act 2006, to protect and promote the human rights of all people in Scotland. 
  2. The Scottish Human Rights Commission is Scotland’s National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), accredited with A-status by the UN. 
  3. Volker Türk was appointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2022.