Scottish Government launches Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming Strategy
- Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
- Type: News Item
- Published: 16th December 2025
Strategy published to place equality and human rights at the core of government operations
The Scottish Government has published its Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming Strategy, supported by an Action Plan and Toolkit, setting out how equality and human rights will be embedded across government and promoted throughout the wider public sector.
The strategy provides a practical framework to ensure equality and human rights are central to policy making, service delivery and resource allocation, with the aim of building fairer systems that work better for everyone in Scotland. It has been developed collaboratively with stakeholders and responds to consultation feedback calling for clearer alignment of tools, reduced duplication and stronger practical support. The ALLIANCE responded to this consultation and you can view our response in the resources below.
Mainstreaming, the Scottish Government emphasises, means placing equality and human rights at the core of everyday process, recognising that they affect everything an organisation does, from planning to service delivery, and ensuring they are integral to how public services operate across Scotland.
Six key drivers for change underpin the Strategy: leadership, accountability and transparency, an effective regulatory and policy environment, use of evidence and lived experience, enhanced capability and culture, and improved capacity.
Supporting the strategy, the accompanying Action Plan brings together 61 equality and human rights mainstreaming actions from across the Scottish Government into one accessible document. While it does not cover every activity underway, it represents the first time a wide range of mainstreaming actions have been collated in a single place, supporting equality and inclusion in policy and practice.
You can access the strategy at Equality and human rights mainstreaming strategy
And the action plan at Equality and human rights mainstreaming action plan
End of page.
You may also like:
New research finds people are ready for honest conversations about how to bridge the “reality gap” of health and social care reform.
Continue readingChief Officer of Development Sara Redmond will represent the ALLIANCE through the process of developing the agreement.
Continue readingThe Scotland Reducing Gambling Harm (ScotRGH) programme has awarded new grants totalling £375,000 to 19 projects across Scotland
Continue readingA newly identified security vulnerability affecting PHP software used by millions of websites worldwide requires immediate attention.
Continue readingFind out more about this pilot service for BSL users in Scotland.
Continue readingA phased campaign supports earlier CKD recognition, helping healthcare professionals deliver timely care and improve patient outcomes.
Continue readingOur response warns that Scotland cannot achieve a sustainable health & care system without greater investment in prevention and social care
Continue readingScottish Women and Girls in Sport Week 2026, organised by Active Scotland, runs 2-8 November.
Continue readingShare your experience to help shape Scotland’s work on antimicrobial resistance and infection prevention through national engagement.
Continue readingReport mapping the supports and services in place across Scotland during pregnancy and into the first few months of a baby’s life.
Continue readingPhD researchers from The Glasgow School of Art are seeking participants.
Continue readingWhat's working, what still needs to change and what Scotland must do to ensure every child can realise their right to the best health.
Continue readingA current research project is exploring the physical challenges faced day-to-day in care, both by carers and by the people they support
Continue readingYour feedback will shape an updated version of the toolkit.
Continue readingThe Scottish Transitions Forum hosted by ARC Scotland have launched the Compass National Data report for 2025-26.
Continue readingAre you blind or partially sighted? Share your experience of food packaging in a short UK-wide survey.
Continue readingFour free traineeships available in Scotland.
Continue readingLearn more about ishush - a free online support programme for adults with hyperacusis.
Continue readingApply to support equalities groups in Renfrewshire.
Continue readingConsultation launched for parents/carers, people with lived experience, and professionals.
Continue readingLearn more about Posterior Cortical Atrophy and why sensory care matters.
Continue readingNesta launch new report 'Getting it right for every baby' highlighting key challenges in the existing landscape of support.
Continue readingThe Oversight Board for the promise has launched their fourth report into Scotland’s progress in keeping the promise.
Continue readingUrgent investment needed to deliver fair, person centred social care in Scotland, say the ALLIANCE.
Continue readingOur presentation noted the negative effects of social care charging on human rights including health and adequate standard of living.
Continue reading