Latest news with #HumanRightsBill
The Herald Scotland
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
SNP to 'end hunger and homelessness' in human rights bill
The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) investigated the situation around economic, social and cultural rights in Argyll and Bute, Hebrides, Highlands, Moray and Northern Isles last year and found that people in these areas faced challenges in accessing basic needs such as health, housing and food. It said it had gathered evidence of difficulties caused by a shortage of affordable housing, centralisation of health services, fuel poverty and unreliable public transport. Ms Stewart set out what the Scottish Government planned to do to address the situation in correspondence to Professor Angela O'Hagan, chair of the SHRC, and the convenes of Holyrood's equalities committee and rural affairs committee sent earlier this week. READ MORE: Sex workers launch campaign to oppose 'dangerous' new law proposed by Ash Regan What is the Nordic Model? The proposals to criminalise 'buyers' of sex 'The SNP are terrified': 'Reform can win by-election - and take power in Holyrood' She said ministers were "committed to bringing forward a Human Rights Bill in the next Parliamentary session, subject to the 2026 Scottish Parliament election". She added: "Proposals for the Bill seek to incorporate the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), along with three other treaties, into Scots law within the limits of devolved competence. "ICESCR includes the right to health, the right to an adequate standard of living (including food and housing), and the right to cultural life, amongst other rights. 'Economic, social, and cultural rights need legal protection. A strong legal framework is required, which the Scottish Government's proposed Scottish Human Rights Bill may address if introduced. Complaint mechanisms must also be improved to ensure they are accessible, affordable, timely, and effective.' The SHRC's report raised concerns over human rights in the Highlands and Islands (Image: Getty Images) The SHRC said in its report that "urgent action is needed to eradicate rooflessness and hunger in the Highlands and Islands" and called for universal access to affordable, acceptable, and quality sexual and reproductive health services to be prioritised and properly funded. Ms Stewart responded: "We agree that rights to food, housing and health are of vital importance to everyone across Scotland and are committed to taking action now to advance these fundamental entitlements." The minister also went on to say a new National Islands Plan would be published separately this year setting out how the government would improve the lives of people on island communities. The SHRC said it carried out its research on human right in the Highlands as it did not understand issues affecting rural and island communities as well as it did those in central Scotland. The commission interviewed community leaders, campaigners, development trusts, teachers, crofters, lawyers, health workers and MSPs. Its findings included that people in Orkney were turning down job offers because they could not find a suitable home, and that victims of abuse there were unable to find accommodation away from alleged offenders. The report also found that the centralisation of health services was leading to 14,000 patients a year from Caithness and Sutherland travelling to Inverness for care, including expectant mothers to give birth. It also revealed that in the Western Isles parents and carers of children and adults with learning disabilities were travelling up to 500 miles weekly to access educational services. A further finding highlights a lack of public transport in Skye and a road infrastructure there that had remained unchanged for the past 20 years despite an increase in visitors. Human Rights were devolved to Holyrood by the Scotland Act 1998. The SHRC said across all rights examined it found not a single human right that met all the conditions of adequacy under international law. It made a number of recommendations to the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government, including that urgent action should be taken to tackle homelessness, hunger and access to sexual and reproductive health services. Publishing the report in November last year Professor O'Hagan said the commission was very concerned about the poor state of economic, social and cultural rights. She said: "Too many people in Highland and Islands are hungry, homeless, without access to healthcare, and the basics for everyday life. "With this work, we are piloting a new way of monitoring, one that brings the commission closer to communities and enhances their voices and struggles. "While we continue to develop this way of working, we expect that all duty-bearers will reflect carefully on the evidence found in this report, and the action now required from them to meet their human rights obligations."
Scotsman
04-05-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Programme for Government: Five things we can expect in John Swinney's strategy
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... John Swinney will publish his last Programme for Government before next year's Holyrood election - with the policy prospectus expected to set the tone for the march to the ballot box. Although the First Minister will likely need funding in next year's Budget to pay for any bold policies and commitments, Mr Swinney could chart an more ambitious course than we have seen from him a year on from re-entering frontline politics to steady the SNP ship. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad John Swinney has helped steady the SNP ship (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell) | Getty Images The Scotsman takes a look at five things we can expect to see in Tuesday's Programme for Government. Action to revive the NHS The health service will likely be the big focus at next year's election. If Labour leader Anas Sarwar had it his way, that would be the only issue talked about. Mr Swinney has insisted delivering on the NHS and ebbing away at those waiting times we now expect as part and parcel of the health service, will be a key priorities in his Programme for Government. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But it is unclear what legislation could underpin making improvements in the NHS. Unfinished business The First Minister shifted the timetable for the Programme for Government - usually published in September, to give him a whole 12 months to deliver ahead of next year's election. Last week, Mr Swinney caused anger by confirming his long-delayed and controversial Misogyny Bill will not see the light of day until after the election. There are already 14 government bills current in Holyrood and we know there will be a Budget Bill needed. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad That doesn't give Mr Swinney's Government much room to introduce a swathe of radical pieces of policy without pausing some of those Bills already in the system. Key pieces of legislation such as the Human Rights Bill could be further delayed. Climate action action on track The last 12 months have not exactly been a shining example of how to tackle the climate crisis in Scotland- targets have been scrapped and watered down. But the First Minister has insisted that charting a path to net zero remains one of his four key priorities. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Campaigners have warned this is the 'last chance' for his Government to bring forward action needed to get Scotland's strategy to reach net zero back on track. We can expect the Heat In Buildings Bill to finally come forward - but the proposals have already been criticised as being watered down and lacking ambition. Continuing anti-poverty push The First Minister has made no secret of his number one priority - wanting to eradicate child poverty. But his Government's last Budget had little tangible action to further that agenda. Having already confirmed to The Scotsman in January that the flagship Scottish Child Payment will not increase further, the Scottish Government is under pressure to use the Programme for Government to prove it has more ideas to make a difference. Help for business Kickstarting economic growth has been a key theme of the Labour government - with questionable success so far. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Swinney has suggested that part of the justification for bringing forward his Programme for Government is to help support businesses amid global economic uncertainty not helped by Donald Trump's trade tariffs.
The Herald Scotland
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
The priority must be to end poverty, not worsen it
Among the experiences in the report are those of Isla, from the Scottish Borders. A carer for her son, Isla said: 'I am barely holding on financially. I always feel just one step away from rock bottom.' That is the everyday reality for so many people in our communities. And that is why the UK Government's recent decision to announce £5.5 billion of social security cuts was so shameful. In making that choice, UK ministers are choosing an approach that their own impact assessments show will pull 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into the grip of poverty. It is important to be clear about what that means. More people being pushed into making decisions between heating their home or paying their rent. More people forced into using foodbanks. More children growing up with their lives constrained by poverty. Keir Starmer described the UK's social security system as 'fundamentally broken'. And he is right, but not for the reasons he thinks. It is broken because it pulls people into, rather than protects them from, poverty. It is broken because it robs people of their dignity and respect. And it is broken because it violates people's human rights on a daily basis. Isla told us: 'I didn't choose to be a carer and struggle on social security, but when my son was born, I didn't have a choice.' But UK ministers do have a choice. They can choose to take the urgent decisions needed to protect people from harm; reversing the proposed cuts, ending the sanctions regime, and abolishing the disgraceful two-child limit. And they can choose to overhaul the system by establishing a Social Security Commission with the power to build the UK social security system we need; one rooted in dignity, respect and human rights. And the Scottish Government must also listen to voices like Isla's. While it has taken a different and welcome approach to its own social security powers, over one million people in Scotland are living in poverty, and Scotland's interim child poverty targets were recently missed. Scottish ministers could choose to increase the Scottish Child Payment, and to drive forward with plans for a new Human Rights Bill that would enshrine all of our economic and social rights in law. In a country like ours, all levels of government must prioritise ending poverty, not worsening it. That is the choice that must be made. Neil Cowan is Scotland Director, Amnesty International UK Agenda is a column for outside contributors. Contact: agenda@
