Why we are spotlighting this issue
We are building a picture of rights across Scotland 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.
Economic, social and cultural rights are about the things we all need to live a life free from fear and want. They include:
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.
What the project will do
We want to fill the gaps in human rights data and make sure that people in the South of Scotland have their economic, social and cultural rights met. Our human rights monitoring model 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 will report our findings to the Scottish Parliament.
In February and March 2026, we visited the South of Scotland, including Ayrshire, Cumbrae, and Arran. We heard 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 also held community engagement events in Dumfries and Galashiels to hear from individuals and community groups about their everyday lives, and shared an online survey so that people could have their say remotely.
What is next
We will produce a report with specific recommendations for making things better for people in the South of Scotland. We will take the report to the Scottish Parliament and other duty bearers, to hold them to account for their human rights obligations.
