What has the SNP done on equality & human rights?
Immigration and Asylum
The SNP Scottish Government’s approach to migration encourages people to come to Scotland, live here, raise their families here, contribute to the economy by working and make a positive contribution not only to our society but to our culture.
Westminster’s hostile, dysfunctional asylum system is built on dangerous misinformation and years of neglect. Asylum seekers are not to blame for soaring energy bills, recruitment issues in our NHS or a housing emergency.
The responsibility lies squarely with Westminster, both Labour and Tory parties, for decades of cuts to Scotland’s budget, and their failure to control the cost-of-living crisis.
As anti-migration rhetoric ramps up from the opposition, the SNP is the only party demanding meaningful action from the UK Government to meet Scotland’s economic needs and boost our public services.
Scotland needs the full powers of independence, so people in Scotland can make decisions in our interests, instead of having harmful decisions imposed on us by Westminster.
Race Equality
The SNP is committed to ensuring Scotland is a place where people from all backgrounds can live and raise their families in peace and where people of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds can follow their religion or belief.
We are clear that Islamophobia, racism or any form of prejudice is completely unacceptable. We all have a responsibility to be mindful of the language that we use and to confront racism and religious prejudice wherever and whenever it appears.
Human Rights
The SNP believes that there is no place in Scotland for prejudice or discrimination, and that everyone deserves to be treated fairly, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation. The SNP has a proud record of fighting for gender equality while in government.
From action on equal pay, support for women returning to the workplace, the first gender-balanced Cabinet in the UK and taking action to end period poverty we’ve worked hard to tear down barriers.
This comes alongside significant action on advancing LGBTI rights, including delivering the most progressive and extensive equal marriage legislation, a pardon for historical ‘homosexual offences’, and equal civil partnerships.
We opened up adoption and IVF for same-sex couples, reformed blood donation rules, established a Working Group on Non-Binary Equality and made Scotland the first country in the UK to approve the provision of PrEP by the NHS.
We passed the Hate Crime Act, making it an offence to stir up hatred against people on the grounds of sexual orientation, transgender identity and variations in sex characteristics.
We continue to demand the full devolution of equality, employment and immigration powers so that the Scottish Parliament has the powers to protect LGBTI equality and make Scotland a fairer and more equal place to live.