Economic, social and cultural rights are about the things we all need to live a life free from fear and want. They include:

These rights underpin our access to services, food and leisure. They provide the framework for a safety net that every one of us can depend on. Yet, economic, social and cultural rights remain out of reach for many people in Scotland. Across the country, people are struggling to afford food, fuel and housing or to access timely, good-quality public services.

We are working to build a picture of rights across Scotland and to use our findings to develop recommendations for how duty bearers can make things better for people in Scotland. The South of Scotland is the second region that we have spotlighted.

In 2024, we published a report highlighting significant failures to meet human rights standards in the Highlands and Islands. Many people were unable to afford housing, to heat their homes or to travel to access healthcare. In January 2025, the Scottish Parliament held a debate on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Highlands and Islands, in direct response to our findings. Find out more about more about our work in the Highlands and Islands.

This project is a step toward filling the gaps in human rights data and making sure that people in the South of Scotland are having their economic, social and cultural rights met. It uses a human rights monitoring model developed at the SHRC, which brings us closer to local communities and their human rights concerns. We aim to bear witness to the lived experiences of people and communities across area and to to raise awareness of human rights issues in these areas with decision makers. 

From 16th February 2026, we are embarking on a six week fact finding visit to the South of Scotland, including Ayrshire, Cumbrae, and Arran. We will visit and hear first-hand from human rights defenders on the ground about the issues facing their communities in Stranraer, Ayr, Dumfries, Kilmarnock, Hamilton, Irvine, Arran, Galashiels, Kelso, Dalkeith and Haddington.

We will be holding community engagement events in Dumfries and Galashiels which will give us the opportunity to hear from individuals and community groups about how they are experiencing these rights in their everyday lives. The first event will take place in Dumfries on the 25th February 2026, find out more and sign up on Eventbrite. The second event will be held in at Borders College in Galashiels on the 17th March 2026. Sign up for the Galashiels event on Eventbrite. We will also be creating an online survey for those who can't attend our events in person, the link to the survey will be published here in due course.