Getting human rights right for all - Irene Oldfather

Too often it is those in our most deprived and marginalised communities, who sometimes seem the furthest away from legal protections around the quality of life that they can and should enjoy, who find the greatest difficulty being heard.

It is really important to know, understand and share that human rights are not a hypothetical academic conversation with no grounding in the real world. They are in fact standards by which we can right some of the wrongs in the system while empowering, ensuring accountability and participation and emphasising equality for those in need.

The appointment of the Scottish Human Rights Commissioner, Professor Alan Miller, in 2008 ushered in a new era in Human Rights in Scotland and put a spotlight on Scotland’s approach to implementation of human rights in our lives. One of his first tasks was to work with the Parliament’s Cross Party Group on Alzheimer’s, chaired by myself and supported by Alzheimers Scotland, to produce a Charter of Rights for People with Dementia and their Carers. It’s significant because it was the first ever example of the UN PANEL approach being implemented in Scotland.