Scot Government sets out plans to promote human rights
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outlined her Programme for Government this week, which details the government’s plans for the coming year. The First Minister again reiterated their very welcome emphatic ‘no’ to any repeal of the Human Rights Act or withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Programme for Government includes many aspects that will impact people’s rights, particularly:
- establish an expert advisory group to lead a participatory process to make recommendations on how Scotland can continue to lead by example in human rights, including economic, social, cultural and environmental rights
- implement a new Race Equality Action Plan
- progress our Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Bill through Parliament, making Scotland the only part of the UK with requirements for gender parity on public boards
- right the wrongs of the past by introducing the Sexual Offences (Pardons and Disregards) Bill to pardon same-sex activity that should never have been criminalised
- consult on reforming gender recognition legislation
- undertaking a comprehensive audit on the most effective and practical way to further embed the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into policy and legislation, including the option of full incorporation into domestic law
- raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 8 to 12 through our Minimum Age of Criminal Responsibility Bill
- supporting the proposals in the Member’s Bill to introduce a legislative ban on the physical punishment of children
Read the Programme for Government summary here: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/09/2470/3