Scottish Human Rights

Guest post by Pauline Kelly, Media and Campaigns Officer at Amnesty International Scotland. Since joining Amnesty a few months ago, I have realised there are situations where the mention of human rights can feel like a thought grenade...

I’ve always been bookish, but last Saturday, I became one: I was a human book at Aye Write!, The Mitchell Library’s amazing book festival. I joined the Human Library for the day. It works like this: readers go up to the lending desk...

I was at a meeting this week with the SHRC to discuss SNAP. The next day I was at the CPG on HR discussing Climate Justice and yesterday I talked about SGT with SG at VQ. Yes, I've arrived, I now speak human rights! What that means is...

Ganesh Pandey is something of a cycling superhero. In his native Nepal, he and his family faced terrible poverty wrapping chocolates for a mere 20-30 rupees (20-30 pence) a day. Recalling such adversity, Ganesh pays tribute to his...

It seems that this month I can't open a newspaper, watch TV or overhear a conversation on my commute without there being a reference to Human Rights. I did wonder if this is just a heightened sensitivity as I approach the conclusion of...

Today is International Roma Day. Last week’s briefing from Amnesty Human Rights Here, Roma Rights Now highlighted horrendous human rights violations ranging from discrimination and hate crimes, to segregation and forced evictions. The...

An exhibition at the Tramway , Glasgow this week brings into sharp focus the realities of refugees and asylum seekers living in the city. In Human Rights + Wrongs , photographer Angela Catlin and journalist Billy Briggs worked with...

Guest post by Amnesty Scotland campaigns volunteer Catriona Clunas, who has been heading up our Scottish Gypsy Traveller campaign this year. On the 26 March 2013, the Equal Opportunities Committee (EOC) of the Scottish Parliament...

Youth charity Article 12’s “What a Voice” exhibition, showcases 12 different aspects of Scottish Gypsy Traveller life including Nomadic existence, Heritage, Family, and Health in an effort to help us – the settled community –...

On Monday women’s rights advocates from across Scotland came to Edinburgh to learn how the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) can help women living here access their...

In Part Two of our blog (see Part One ), campaigner David Grimason tells us about the very personal motivation that keeps him focused. Nearly a decade ago, on 7 July 2003, David’s life was torn apart when his two-year-old son was...

The UN process to establish an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) began in 2007 after Amnesty International and its partners in the Control Arms campaign managed to convince 153 governments to vote in December 2006 for a consultation. Amnesty...

Do we really need a day to support women and give special attention to their issues? This is Scotland, after all, not Iran or China or Afghanistan. Has feminism not done the job already? Statistics suggest the answer is "No" and, until...

Human Rights took centre stage last week at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) annual Gathering conference with a number of panel discussions taking a closer look at the positive potential of human rights based...

Earlier this month, MSP Roseanna Cunningham (SNP) sponsored a human rights debate requesting an 'elevated' discussion on promoting and protecting human rights in Scotland, Europe and the wider world. I am pleased to report that the...

Glasgow University's Secret Policeman's Ball 2013 was a tremendous success, raising a record £2248.85 for Amnesty International. In this guest blog post, Glasgow University Amnesty group member and SPB organiser Sophie Kortenbruck...

Last week Amnesty student reps from across Scotland gathered in Glasgow University for this year's Amnesty Scottish Student Conference. In the evening, the Glasgow University Group held their annual Secret Policeman’s Ball and raised a...

With the holidays nearly here, there’s no time like the present to start thinking about a submission for Amnesty’s Student Human Rights Reporter Award . The competition recognises students across Scotland and the UK who have what it...

This post by Sarah Stewart originally appeared on her Service Writing blog. Here's her experiences attending our Scottish Human Rights Festival Amnesty Scotland had their annual Human Rights Festival at St Augustine’s Church in...

Tonight is Stand Up For Freedom night, our biggest comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival, the largest arts festival in the world, in a fairly huge venue– and we’re nearly there, we’re sort of crouching for freedom at the moment. It...