The independent SNAP Secretariat plays a vital role in supporting the work of the SNAP Leadership Panel and co-Chairs, as well as the ongoing development, implementation, and monitoring of SNAP actions.  

It contributes to Scotland’s efforts to meet the eight criteria for national human rights action plans established by the United Nations (UN).  

Governance and Purpose 

As outlined in the SNAP Governance Principles:  

Dedicated, independent secretariat support is needed to ensure the effective governance and delivery of SNAP, including support for rights holders’ participation and administration of events and meetings.  

From Development to the Launch of SNAP 2 

During the development and launch of SNAP2, the SNAP Leadership Panel and its co-Chairs were supported by an independent SNAP Secretariat. 

In October 2021, Lucy Mulvagh was appointed as Interim Secretariat Lead.  The Secretariat was temporarily hosted by the Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and jointly resourced by both SHRC and the Scottish Government. 

The Secretariat Lead played a key role in recruiting and training Leadership Panel members and in supporting the review and publication of SNAP 2.  

Since the publication of SNAP 2, the independent SNAP Secretariat has been hosted by the Scottish Government, within the Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights.