Human Rights Tracker Scotland: Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA)

Key Findings

While evidence indicates that the Tracker is likely to have a neutral direct impact against the protected characteristics listed in the Equality Act, we anticipate it may have an indirect positive impact by enhancing human rights implementation efforts. By consolidating treaty body recommendations into an accessible format, we expect that users will be able to access, interpret and act on recommendations in a coordinated and strategic way. The rights of people who share equality characteristics are reflected across all of the treaties within the scope of the Tracker. There are also specific treaties relating to protected characteristics, specifically the rights of women, disabled people and racialised minorities which provide further opportunities for enhanced implementation and accountability.

Digital exclusion risk

The EQIA identified evidence that people who share some protected characteristics may be more likely to experience digital exclusion – in particular older adults and disabled people. Evidence also indicated that older women and some ethnicities are more likely to experience digital exclusion.

In relation to age, only 77% of those aged 60 and over in Scotland use the internet compared to 99% of younger adults, and rates are even lower among disabled and low-income older people. Evidence indicates that 51% of people who do not use the internet in the UK report having a disability. Older adults, particularly those aged 75 and above, are also more likely to use personal computers than smartphones. It is important to note that these barriers do not pertain exclusively to the Tracker tool but reflect systemic barriers in the use of online platforms. It is also noted that the Tracker’s primary targeted users are policy professionals who may have lower rates of digital exclusion.