Launch of the Scottish National Action Plan 2 (SNAP2)

Date: 25th April 2023
Category: Civil Rights and Freedoms, General measures of implementation

launch

Scotland’s Second National Action Plan for Human Rights (SNAP 2) was launched last month and Michael, a young person on the Leadership Panel for its development, shares his experiences as the youngest person in the room.

SNAP was launched in 2013, the first National Action Plan for human rights in the UK, setting out a roadmap for Scotland’s human rights development. Finishing in 2017, after some disruption due to COVID19, in March 2o22, a new SNAP Leadership Panel was appointed. SNAP2 has since launched and its vision is “A Scotland where everyone can live with human dignity”.  Its purpose is to carry out coordinated human rights activity by public bodies, civil society and rights holders, to promote greater awareness of human rights and advance the realisation of human rights. Its priorities include: plan and support incorporation, achieve a decent standard of living and ensure justice and more. Each priority has a list of issues and actions raised during the development of SNAP2 by the leadership panel who will identify potential organisations to deliver these actions and monitor the plan’s implementation.

Michael is the youngest person on the SNAP Leadership Panel which consists of different stakeholders, including rights holders, civil society members and duty bearers. In his blogpost, he talks about the struggles young people can encounter when being the youngest person in the room, when trying to make a difference. Despite this though, he says “I have actually found the Panel to be a genuinely enabling environment as a young person”. Due to the support he has received, according to Michael, he has been able to participate meaningfully in important discussions surrounding human rights in Scotland, bringing a unique perspective as a young person in a room full of adults. “With the right support”, Michael says, “young people can be empowered to make that difference”.