Human rights are for everyone, everywhere. The United Nations (UN) reminds us that any credible national action plan must be rooted in a strong commitment to universal human rights standards. At the heart of this commitment is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which sets out the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person. These rights: civil, political, economic, social, and cultural, form the backbone of the international human rights system.
SNAP’s Commitment
Following UN guidance, Scotland’s National Action Plan for Human Rights (SNAP) is firmly grounded in these universal standards. SNAP draws not only from the UDHR but also from a wide range of international human rights treaties, ensuring a comprehensive approach to protecting and promoting rights for all.
Key Human Rights Treaties
SNAP is built on a foundation of international agreements that the UK (including Scotland) has signed, as well as domestic laws. Some of the most important treaties include:
- The International Bill of Human Rights:
This includes the UDHR and two key treaties:
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
The UK has ratified both, and Scotland is working to incorporate ICESCR into its own laws.
- Other Major Treaties:
SNAP also draws from treaties that protect specific groups and rights, such as:
- Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
- Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- Convention Against Torture (CAT)
- Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers (ICMW)
The UK has ratified all except the ICMW, and Scotland is committed to bringing several of these into domestic law.
- Council of Europe Treaties:
- European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
- European Social Charter (ESC)
The Human Rights Act 1998 brings the ECHR into UK law, and the Scotland Act 1998 ensures Scottish laws must respect these rights.
Equality and Devolution
SNAP is also shaped by UK equality laws. Under the current constitutional arrangements, some issues, like immigration and defence, are handled by the UK Parliament (“reserved matters”), while others, such as health, education, and justice are managed by the Scottish Parliament (“devolved matters”). SNAP 2 focuses on actions within devolved areas.
What Rights Does SNAP 2 Advance?
SNAP 2 aims to progress human rights in people’s lives, such as:
SNAP 2 also pays special attention to groups whose rights are most at risk, including:
- Black and minority ethnic people
- Care-experienced people
- Children and young people
- Disabled people (including those with learning disabilities and autistic people)
- LGBTQIA+ people
- Migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers
- People on low incomes
- People with mental health conditions
- Scottish Gypsy/Travellers
- Older people
- Unpaid carers
- Women and girls
Prioritising Those Most at Risk
While human rights belong to everyone, SNAP 2 prioritises those who face the greatest barriers to realising their rights, referred to as “people whose rights are most at risk.” An intersectional approach is essential, recognising that people’s experiences are shaped by multiple, overlapping factors like race, gender, disability, and more.
Principles That Guide SNAP
SNAP is guided by well-established human rights principles, especially the PANEL principles (Participation, Accountability, Non-discrimination and Equality, Empowerment, and Legality). Other important principles include “progressive realisation” (making steady progress towards full rights for all) and “non-retrogression” (not going backwards on rights).
For more detail, see Appendix 5 of the action plan or the United Nations’ comprehensive overview.