ALL PARTIES CHALLENGED TO INCORPORATE UN TREATIES INTO SCOTS LAW
Scotland can be a global leader in upholding and strengthening human rights and tackling discrimination, the SNP has said today, with the party committing to incorporating additional United Nations treaties into law if re-elected this May.
Last month, the SNP Scottish Government passed the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill – which incorporated the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law. It means public authorities will be bound by law to uphold the rights of children and young people under the age of 18.
At this election, the party has committed in its manifesto to going further by incorporating four more United Nations Human Rights treaties into domestic law, including –
– The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,
– The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,
– The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination,
– The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Ruth Maguire, the SNP candidate for Cunninghame South, said:
“As Westminster increasingly turns in on itself and takes a draconian approach to human rights, the SNP is committed to taking the steps to strengthen human rights, to tackle discrimination and meet the highest possible international standards.
“While in government we have already taken the bold step to incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law, only for the UK Tory government to take the menacing step of taking the Scottish Government to court to try to stop it applying to their actions in Scotland.
“Only a small number of nations have directly incorporated that into domestic law and Scotland is the first country in the UK to do so.
“If re-elected, an SNP Government will incorporate four more United Nations Human Rights treaties into domestic law – including on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and all forms of racial discrimination, as well as protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.
“Scotland has shown real leadership on this and taking these significant steps will go a long way in embedding the highest protections into law for people across Scotland.
“I call on all parties at this election to make the same commitment and back our rights and protections to make Scotland a world leader in human rights.
“This election comes down to the issue of what kind of country Scotland wants to be – one which puts bairns before bombs and protects the rights of our citizens, or one which spends billions of pounds prioritising weapons of mass destruction on our shores.
“Only both votes SNP can put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands – not Boris Johnson’s.”
ENDS
Ruth Maguire MSP 