Weekly Human Rights News: 27-03-24

Since September 2023, we have been working alongside the Scottish Recovery Consortium to co-design and co-deliver a leadership programme with recovery advocates working across Scotland. We headed up to Glasgow in February to deliver the final workshop, and this week we shared how this programme made a difference. 

After the programme, participants felt more positively about the Human Rights Act, and they reported an increase in their understanding of human rights law as well as in their confidence to speak up for human rights issue in their advocacy work. 

“I would describe the Rights in Recovery Leadership Programme as very  informative and empowering. Previously not knowing anything about human rights I now feel I am in a position to challenge duty bearers around my rights and also to inform individuals and services in my region around human rights. I think the knowledge I have gained in this course will allow individuals to become empowered to the point where they can challenge services to get the care they need and deserve.” Programme Participant 

Human rights are a powerful tool that can be used in conversations with public services to secure positive change in the recovery sector, improving health and reducing harm. Find out more about the Scottish Recovery Consortium’s work on their website.  

BIHR delivered the final of 3 human rights workshops with NDTi's Time to Talk Next Steps Programme, aimed at supporting the team and young people to better know and use their human rights. The NDTi programme works with young people with additional support needs in England who feel anxious or unsure and have limited or no plans for the future. During the workshops young people shared that they felt knowing about human rights in the UK was very important (rating it at 4.7/5 for importance). But most felt young people did not have enough support to know about their human rights and how to use them.  After the session young people shared that they knew more about their human rights.  

During the workshop we shared some of BIHR's human rights resources co-produced directly with young people, including Children's Inpatient Mental Health resources with Charli and Hanna, our Lived Experience Experts; and the "What are my human rights? A guide for young people" produced with ADT Fourth World and peer advocates including Tiegan, Aurelia, and Kaydence, as part of our communities programme. 

We attended the launch of the Care Quality Commission's (CQCs) new human rights approach to regulation. At BIHR our work in health and care over 20 years tells us that not only is it the law to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, it leads to better outcomes for people accessing health and care and their loved ones and those delivering these services.   

On the launch, it was good to hear the CQC make clear that: 

“As the regulator, our role is to make sure people have safe, high-quality care. Care that does not respect and promote human rights is neither safe nor high-quality”.  

We look forward to hearing more about next steps.  

The United Nations International Labour Organisation shared “serious concerns” about the Strikes Act 

The Strikes (Minimum Service Level) Act was passed last year and allows the Government to set “minimum service levels” during times when people are on strike in healthcare; fire and rescue; education; transport; decommissioning of nuclear installations and management of radioactive waste and spent fuel; and border security. 

The UK’s Trade Union Congress reported this to the United Nations International Labour Organisation (ILO), raising concerns about the impact on workers’ human rights, particularly the right to freedom of assembly. The ILO has now put out an observation saying it has serious concerns about the Act and the lack of assurances that any imposed service levels will be genuinely the bare minimum and that workers will be involved in defining this. 

Read the ILO’s observation 

Teenagers in Scouts Scotland can collect a human rights badge 

Scouts Explorers (aged 14 to 18) can now participate in Scouts Scotland’s Rights Challenge Badge, created together with the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland. To earn the badge, Explorers can create a communications project about human rights; campaign for change in their community; and learn and share information about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Find out more about supporting young people to know their rights on our website. 

Source: Irvine Times