Human rights Incorporation and Implementation Oversight Board minutes: December 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Kaukab Stewart MSP, Minister for Equalities (Chair)
• Professor Alan Miller, University of Strathclyde 
• Allan Faulds. Alliance
• Catherine Whitaker, COSLA
• Charlie McMillan, Human Rights Consortium Scotland
• Charlotte Thomas, BEMIS
• Christopher Clannachan, Equality Network 
• Elizabeth Thomson, Amnesty
• Emma Hutton, Just Right Scotland
• Heather Fisken, Inclusion Scotland 
• Jennifer Cannon, Scottish Human Rights Commission
• Juliet Harris, Together 
• Manira Ahmad, Public Health Scotland 
• Michael Clancy, Law Society
• Professor Nicole Bubsy, University of Glasgow
• Rebecca Spillane, Improvement Service 
• Rosemary Agnew, Scottish Human Rights Commission
• Samuel White, Law Society 
• Dr Shivali Fifield, Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland 
• Simon Cameron, COSLA

Items and actions

Welcome and Introductions

The Minister welcomed members to the third meeting of the Oversight Board, noted apologies from absent members and the representatives joining in their place.

The Minister acknowledged the broader global context of human rights and reaffirmed support for the European Convention on Human Rights following its 75th anniversary. The Minister highlighted recent achievements such as the publication of the ICESCR High-Level Action Plan, the launch of the Improving Access Fund, and the ‘We Are Scotland’ campaign. The Minister also noted a recent meeting with the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, and the upcoming launch of the Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming Strategy, Action Plan, and Toolkit.

Update on progress

Kavita set out the progress of work overseen by the board taken forward since the last meeting. This included producing a refreshed Incorporation & Implementation Delivery Plan and – as part of this – the Scottish Government’s continued focus on developing proposals for a future Human Rights Bill as far as possible between now and the Scottish Parliament elections in 2026. Kavita noted specific areas of Bill policy that were subject to ongoing internal developmental work, including: the scope of Bill’s duties, how the Group Protection Treaties (GPTs) are given effect to, proposals around Minimum Standards in the Bill and the associated participatory process to inform them, and developing the Right to a Healthy Environment (RTHE).

Reflections on early implementation support activity

Officials provided a more focussed overview of work to advance early rights implementation support activity. This included the progress made by the Capability Building Working Group and the Tracker Design Working Group.

For capability building, early work has focused on local authorities and the health service, developed in partnership with the Improvement Service and NHS Education Scotland. Staff have been recruited by partners and are working towards a learning event to share good practice, to be held in Spring 2026. Next steps involve reviewing insights from this year, adopting a collaborative approach to develop local practice, and exploring further opportunities to embed learning. Officials also confirmed steps to extend this work to the third sector, including through attending the Gathering event in early 2026, and through a planned Spring 2026 roundtable on gaps and needs.

Regarding the tracker, officials reported that the first phase of the tool is expected to go live in March 2026. The tool will support duty bearers to identify and act on recommendations from international treaty bodies, reflecting the Scottish context and complementing EHRC’s tracker for reserved issues, and will support enhanced scrutiny of implementation. Design and functionality have been considered in consultation with technical experts and a Tracker Design Group, and this is captured in the project initiation document which will be published on gov.scot shortly. Officials also noted the recent publication of the ICESCR High-Level Action Plan, an important milestone in responding to treaty recommendations and indicative of the type of information the tracker will contain.

Members asked about the possibility of an early demonstration of the tracker, and the Minister confirmed that officials will explore this. Members discussed ensuring strong connections between capability building and tracker work and making the tracker accessible for disabled people as rights holders. The next meeting of the Design Group will provide a demonstration of the tool and opportunity for user-testing.

Discussion: Refreshed delivery plan

Officials gave an overview of the refreshed Incorporation & Implementation Delivery Plan. The refreshed Plan retains the deliverables and overall approach of the initial iteration circulated with the Board last year, while reflecting progress to date across the Plan as well as additional activity for the upcoming period. Officials emphasised that the Plan remains a live document, evolving as progress is made across its actions and engagements.

Key actions for the upcoming period include continuing to engage with stakeholders in relation to agreed priorities, advancing Bill policy development, sustaining progress on capability building, and launching an initial version of the Tracker Tool by March 2026. The Plan will run until the pre-election period in 2026.

Members noted the complexity of the work relating to the scope of Human Rights Bill proposals, acknowledging the ongoing issues emerging around implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. They noted a wider concern about the impact of different strengths of duty could have on incentivising public bodies to make meaningful changes as a result of the Bill. Officials confirmed these matters will be explored further through roundtables being planned for the new year.

Discussion also focused on parliamentary engagement ahead of the pre-election period. Members suggested that legacy papers from Parliamentary Committees could help ensure the Human Rights Bill remains high on the agenda for the incoming administration. Officials will continue to raise awareness about the Bill development work through routes such as the Human Rights Division Newsletter. The Minister acknowledged these concerns whilst also emphasising that there is a role for Members to continue raising the importance of human rights in their own spaces.

Any other business

The Minister highlighted upcoming activities around Human Rights Day (10 December 2025) and thanked members for their time. It was noted that the next meeting will be the final meeting of the Board and is expected to be held March, hosted online. Decisions on future human rights governance will be confirmed by the administration returned after the election. Officials will be in touch to confirm a date and make relevant arrangements.