human rights

Religious discrimination in Britain: a review of research evidence, 2000-10

Commissioned report by Equality and Human Rights Commission that aims to identify and review:

  • Quantitative and qualitative evidence of religious discrimination
  • Any evidence about whether religious discrimination is increasing or decreasing
  • Any differences in evidence between England, Wales and Scotland
  • 'Islamophobia' as a frame of reference for discrimination against Muslims
  • Gaps in the existing research and statistical evidence.

Care about rights

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has developed training and awareness raising resources relating to the care and support of older people.

This project aims to empower people to understand their human rights, and increase the ability and accountability of those who have the duties to respect, protect and fulfil rights.

Learning Disability

Part of the Glasgow School of Social Work Research series, this Iriss podcast features Professor Roy McConkey, University of Ulster, speaking about the promotion of social inclusion of people with learning disabilities.

Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance

The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) was set up as a result of the work undertaken by its predecessor, Advocacy 2000, a three-year project set up to look at the needs of the Advocacy Movement in Scotland, and how these could be supported in the future. The SIAA is devoted to the promotion, support and defence of Independent Advocacy in Scotland. It is a membership organisation that has the overall aim of ensuring that Independent advocacy is available to any vulnerable person in Scotland.

The definition of disability

This web page by Deborah Kaplan, Director of the World Institute on Disability, discusses different ways of defining 'disability' and looks at the complex ways that persons with disabilities perceive themselves and their changing status in society. For models for defining disability are discussed in detail: the moral, medical, rehabilitation, and disability models. References and web links are given.

The Scottish Human Rights Commission

This document sets out the Scottish Executive’s detailed proposals for a Scottish Human Rights Commission. The Scottish Executive believes that this new body will be a key means to ensure that human rights are protected in Scotland and will also help to develop a ‘culture’ of human rights. By promoting human rights, the Commission will work to ensure that you are more aware of your rights in the future and that you understand how they apply to you and to your family. This consultation paper focuses on the remit, functions and structure of the Commission.

Mind guide to advocacy

Mind is a leading mental health charity in England and Wales and has produced information on many areas of mental health. This factsheet defines advocacy and discusses the different kinds of advocacy, who advocacy is for and the situations where it could be applied. Also included is a list of useful organisations and further reading.

Is poverty in the UK a denial of people's human rights?

Being poor in the United Kingdom can mean being subjected to discrimination on the grounds of poverty. Both poverty and discrimination are contrary to the spirit and the terms of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Damian Killeen argues that the refusal of successive governments to incorporate the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights into UK law has compounded common social attitudes that denigrate people who experience poverty and that undermine popular support for policies to eradicate poverty.