Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home - so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighbourhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm, or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.
Human rights’ is a term everyone knows but often does not fully understand. So, it is important to start with the basics… Fundamentally, human rights are universal entitlements for every human being, encompassing a broad spectrum of civil, political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights. These fundamental rights include, for example, the right to life and liberty, family life and privacy, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to housing, health, and education, and to participate in public affairs. They are protected by international and regional treaties, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights and are voluntarily agreed to by countries. Once in effect, these rights are to be respected, protected, and fulfilled for all without discrimination.
While the state (national government) bears the primary responsibility for protecting and promoting these rights, it has become increasingly recognised that the delivery of human rights often occurs at the local level… through the actions of local government (Human Rights Council, 2015 & Human Rights Council, 2024). Emphasising this point, as recently as July 2025, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, highlighted the importance of local government actions by outlining: “local governments are on the frontlines of defending and delivering human rights, from safe and affordable housing and clean water to education, healthcare, decent work, and the protection of minorities”. It is a crucial role that is receiving attention internationally, and today there exists a wealth of projects and materials designed for local government to build human rights into everyday practice (Council of Europe, 2023, UNESCO, 2023 & OHCHR 2025).
In Scotland it is no different, with local government at the forefront of delivering core services essential to the protection and promotion of human rights. From education to waste management, family and social services, housing for the homeless, provision of culture and recreational facilities, and social care packages, reducing socio-economic inequalities, and enabling democratic participation in local public affairs through local elections, local government is shaping how human rights are enjoyed across Scotland every day. Nor does this nearly capture the full extent of services local government provides connected to upholding and realising rights!
This is why it is so important moving forward that there exists an awareness of and action upon the links between international human rights and local government. Not only because local government can enhance the relevance of human rights, but because human rights can also enhance the power of local government. Through engaging with the frameworks in place and embedding human rights into the culture of local government, as has been achieved by numerous local authorities through the Human Rights Cities initiative, local government can become a globally recognised leader in progressive reform, innovative democratic practices, and building resilient communities.
Already throughout Scotland there are great initiatives in place that are adopting innovative approaches to protecting and promoting people’s most fundamental rights. From actions on embedding children’s rights approaches from many local councils, as has been captured by Improvement Service case studies, to bold action in Fife on food poverty, and the THRE network supporting third sector organisations to adopt human rights and equalities in their work to embed it at the heart of local communities. All these, and many others, represent local action being taken to enhance a human rights culture in Scotland. Here at the Improvements Service, we are also thinking about how best we can integrate human rights into our programmes, strategies, and projects to enable a joined-up approach and ensure human rights can act as a thread throughout all our work.
The journey ahead will by no means always be simple but through taking actions ‘in small places, close to home’ Scotland can become a global leader in human rights, with local government recognised as driving reform. I hope that this brief blog has raised awareness of the keen links between the international human right system and local government actions and raises some thought as to how human rights are currently considered across Scotland’s local government landscape. It will be followed by others shining a spotlight on good practice close to home as well as practice from further afield that carry lessons for Scotland’s approach.
The Improvement Service is running a Human Rights Capability Building Project to actively support local authorities across Scotland to build their capabilities regarding human rights.
If you would like to get in touch about how your council is embedding human rights or to discuss this further, please get in touch with our Human Rights Project Manager, Aidan Flegg at aidan.flegg@improvementservice.org.uk.