MSPs to examine how Holyrood stands up for human rights

How the Scottish Parliament performs in ensuring human rights are respected in Scotland is the subject of a call for evidence by a committee of MSPs.

The Equalities & Human Rights Committee has launched a call for views which it hopes will come from those with "lived experience of fighting for their rights", as well as human rights experts.

The inquiry will focus on the issues:

• How can the Parliament raise awareness of domestic and international rights amongst the public?
• What can be done to ensure human rights are considered when making and implementing policy?
• What more could the Parliament do to ensure that international treaties are being followed in Scotland?

This is the second phase of an inquiry in which the committee has already looked at scrutiny of human rights and equalities by other legislatures in the UK; international comparisons of best practice in the monitoring and scrutiny of human rights, and UN monitoring observations relevant to Scotland. There will also be a factfinding visit to European institutions based in Strasbourg.

Committee convener Christina McKelvie MSP commented: "The Parliament needs to get better at considering human rights implications when it looks at legislation.

"We want this inquiry to be the beginning of a meaningful change in culture which will place respecting human rights at the heart of everything we do here.

"It is therefore vital that we hear from those who have experienced human rights injustices as well as those with human rights knowledge and expertise."

In addition to receiving written and formal oral evidence, the Committee will carry out five workshops around Scotland, and is also taking views on social media.

Click here to view the call for evidence, with details of how to engage. The deadline for providing views is 6pm on Friday 16 March 2018. The inquiry is expected to conclude by July 2018.