Remaining hopeful: Our reflections on human rights in Scotland

Read some reflections from ALLIANCE colleagues, who had the opportunity to sponsor and attend Scotland's Annual Human Rights Conference.

The ALLIANCE was delighted to sponsor the second Human Rights Consortium Scotland conference “Our Rights, Your Move” which took place on 3 February 2026 in Glasgow. 

A few ALLIANCE colleagues had the opportunity to attend and have shared their thoughts and reflections from the day.  

Lauren, Events and Communications Officer  

Attending Scotland’s Annual Human Rights Conference left me sitting with a complicated mix of frustration and hope. The day had a heaviness to it; a sense of reckoning with how people are being failed profoundly by the very systems meant to protect them. That feeling sharpened in the migrants’ rights workshop, where stories of resilience in the face of violation and exclusion were shared with such honesty that it was impossible not to feel both anger at the injustice and deep compassion for those living it.  

Yet, threaded through these stories was something quite hopeful – the determination of people who refuse to give up, who keep organising, advocating, and imagining something better. We were reminded that, despite being small, Scotland can still work to influence change. It reminded me that even in spaces defined by struggle, there is still a collective sense of hope, and that matters. 

Jane, Academy Programme Manager  

The conference was a reminder that now more than ever, we need to be advocating and safeguarding our human rights. Keynote speakers highlighted the challenges ahead including the rise of populism, climate change, international conflict and poverty which all pose a threat to human rights. Concerns were shared around emerging rhetoric focused on rights regression. There were calls for the Human Rights Bill to be enshrined in law for rights to be respected, protected and fulfilled.   

It was encouraging and inspiring to have so many human rights defenders together including individuals with lived experience and people from grassroots organisations. One human rights defender highlighted how welcome it was to see so many new faces.  

The conference provided the space to consider what we can control within own spheres of influence and offered opportunities to network and explore future collaborations. We were pleased to be able to host an exhibition stand and highlight some of the work we have been undertaking to explore rights-based decision-making in healthcare settings and research on the right to health to help support rights-based approaches in health and care.   

I also attended a workshop which highlighted how civil society can use its expertise and influence to inform International Human Rights organisations including the United Nations and the Council of Europe. Highlighting the power that civil society possesses in setting norms and helping to hold governments to account.      

Gozie, Digital Network Officer 

The SHRC conference was opened with some rousing accounts of how failure by public bodies to comply to human rights had been fought successfully cross Scotland despite the pause in the Human Rights Bill last year. This included ‘No Man’s Land’ report on Gypsy Traveller discrimination and anti-racism promotion across Police Scotland and NHS. 

There was a call to action from Alan Millar, asking us to refresh our efforts to enshrine the bill and progress it to law. We accepted that we have a unique opportunity in Scotland to pick up on good foundations and energise civic society behind the bill. Concerns were the forthcoming elections and the make-up of the new parliament – currently likely to be SNP who have committed to pressing on with bringing the bill to law. But this is unclear at this stage. The conference agreed that Government needs to be held to account (constructive accountability) to ensure this law comes to pass but also agreed we needn’t wait for ‘law’ but begin to empower citizens affected by violations here and now. 

Rhona, Development Officer  

As I listened to the conference speakers, attended workshops and networked with delegates, I was continually reminded of the quote, ‘justice is not a default position’. I was heartened to see so many people committed to upholding and protecting human rights. Still, we rightly could not avoid the weight of events playing out on the national and global stage, which threatens the rights of everyone, and crucially, our most vulnerable.  

Whilst it’s reassuring that Scotland has a precedent for strong legislation upholding human rights – for example, legislation on homelessness is often regarded as some of the most robust in the world, and the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots Law in 2024 was significant – there are still considerable challenges as we face a growing implementation gap.  

After attending the workshop on children’s rights and the UNCRC, I left with a sense of, if not optimism, then renewed drive. Although the incorporation of the UNCRC has provided scaffolding around children’s rights, there are limitations to its compatibility. However, reflecting on discussions, one key takeaway was that many young people now have a language of rights they didn’t have before, and a developing awareness of how to use the law to prevent breaches in the first place. Against a swell of inflammatory rhetoric and growing instability, this may feel small, but it’s not insignificant. We all have a duty to uphold and protect human rights, and I am hopeful that, through incorporations such as the UNCRC, we’ll see growing momentum to recognise this over the coming years. 

Find some human rights resources from the ALLIANCE below:  

New tools to help improve rights-based policy and practice – Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland 

New report: Investigating knowledge and understanding of the right to health – Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland 

Human Rights Principles in Digital Health and Social Care – Digital 

End of page.