Human Rights Day is celebrated globally on December the 10th, the day serves as a powerful reminder to protect fundamental rights for all. In Scotland, organisations like Scottish Care use the occasion to highlight challenges and progress in social care. Scotland also observes this day with organisations, activists, and communities hosting events, discussions, and campaigns to raise awareness about ongoing human rights challenges and celebrating advancements in this field.
At Scottish Care, we utilise this day to celebrate the amazing work from our members and colleagues championing human rights in their communities. One standout example is the Silver Pride Project, where our colleagues in Ayrshire are contributing to creating safe and inclusive spaces for older LGBT adults living with dementia. It showcases how celebrating the right to freedom of expression can translate into practical change for marginalised communities.
Scottish Care also celebrates the work of our colleagues in Ethical Commissioning, which emphasises integrating human rights into social care contracting. In 2023, workshops highlighted how current social care procurement models can infringe on the rights of those who access care and support. Recommendations from the subsequent report included making rights-based care a contractual prerequisite and ensuring shared accountability between providers and commissioning bodies. This approach aims to enhance the dignity, independence, and outcomes for those accessing care.
However, despite these examples, systemic issues persist. For one the Scottish Government’s 2024 Budget. This budget allocated £21 billion to health and social care but failed to provide ring-fenced funding for social care services. Scottish Care’s response to the budget highlighted that this omission places providers under immense financial strain, exacerbated by unaddressed National Insurance increases. We are working actively to address our concern with the Scottish Government.
Another issue that persists is the pushback of the Human Rights Bill. This Bill was supposed to create a legal framework for the Scottish Government to embed international human rights within domestic law and drive transformative, positive change for people. We responded to the call for consultation of the Bill, though we had concerns we supported the ambitions of the Bill. However earlier this year the Bill was taken out of the 2024-2025 programme for government, with no clear plan of a way forward.
As part of the Scottish Food Coalition, we are advocating for the reintroduction of the Scottish Human Rights Bill into the Scottish Government’s agenda for this term, through the #BringBackTheBill campaign. The delay in the Bill’s progress has sparked widespread concern amidst worsening economic conditions. This event will unite organisations, grassroots groups, and individuals under the banner #OurRightsOurFuture, urging the government to prioritise human rights protections.
Demonstration details:
- Date: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
- Time: 10:00 – 14:00 GMT
- Location: Scottish Parliament Building, Edinburgh
- More information is available via Eventbrite
