Advancing human rights law in Scotland

Busby, N. (2024) Advancing human rights law in Scotland. European Human Rights Law Review, 2024(1), pp. 69-77.

Abstract

The Scottish Government’s ambitious plans to incorporate a suite of United Nations (UN) treaties into Scots law alongside the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child are intended to distinguish it from the United Kingdom (UK) Government through its leadership in the field of human rights. However, although it is often said that human rights are hardwired into Scotland’s constitutional arrangements by way of its devolved settlement, the path to incorporation has been far from smooth. Furthermore, the Scottish Government’s record in countering the social and economic inequality which results in deep intergenerational poverty is questionable even though many relevant policy areas, including health, housing and education, are devolved. This article explores the extent of Scotland’s freedom to act on the advancement of human rights and concludes by assessing the likely outcomes of incorporation.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Busby, Professor Nicole
• Authors: Busby, N.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Law
• Journal Name: European Human Rights Law Review
• Publisher: Sweet and Maxwell
• ISSN: 1361-1526
• ISSN (Online): 1361-1526