✊ Last week we joined a collective civil society letter for Human Rights Day, reaffirming that human rights matter.
As the threats to our membership of the European Convention on Human Rights continues, our united message is clear: we stand together to protect fundamental rights. #HRD25
Human Rights are the framework that protects people's dignity, limits misuse of power and helps to shape a fairer society. They are a foundation for our democracy.
This #HumanRightsDay, we've joined 180+ orgs calling for leadership that strengthens human rights, not weakens them. #HRD25
International Human Rights Day 2025 Freedom of Information as an ‘Everyday Essential’
The United Nations International Human Rights Day 2025 theme is ‘Everyday Essentials’. The right to Freedom of Information (FoI) is exercised and makes a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis and, as such, is an ‘Everyday Essential’. Freedom of Information is for everyone. Regardless of whether you are a member of the public, a journalist or a campaigner and regardless of your background, you can use FoI to obtain information from public services.
In Scotland, FoI has been used to: Obtain Faslane’s radioactive secrets, due to an investigation by The Ferret; Ascertain the financial model relating to the PFI contract for Kilmarnock Prison from the Scottish Prison Service, as a result of an FoI request made by Unison Scotland; Reveal a 1000 day wait for Scottish children to receive autism and ADHD care, due to investigations by The Herald; Uncover MSPs detailed expenses dating back to 1999, following a four year wait and application to the Commissioner by the requestor, a journalist at TheSunday Herald.
While the International community celebrates Human Rights, Scotland has the chance to uphold Human Rights by strengthening protections for FoI, enhancing transparency and enabling accountability, if Parliament passes the Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill.
On Human Rights Day 2025, CFoIS looks at Freedom of Information as an Essential Everyday right.
#HumanRightsDay #HRD25 #FoISAReform25 #freedomofinformation #accesstoinformation #humanrights
This #HumanRightsDay Bild has co-signed a letter to the Prime Minister that challenges recent rhetoric from the Government around rights and calls for leadership that strengthens and protects people’s rights. Watch BIHR's Easy Read video version of the letter: www.youtube.com/watch
#HRD25
Human rights matter most when they are hardest to defend.
This #HumanRightsDay, we’re part of 180+ organisations across the UK standing together to call out recent government rhetoric and demand better from our Prime Minister.
We want leadership that strengthens rights, not weakens them.
#HRD25
Human rights are #childrights and they matter most when they are hardest to defend.
This #HumanRightsDay, we’re part of 180+ UK organisations led by BIHR standing together to demand better from @ukgovernment.bsky.social
We want leadership to strengthens rights
#HRD25
bit.ly/HRD2025letter
Collage of diverse charity and advocacy organisation logos arranged in a grid on a white background.
We’re with 180+ groups across the UK have come together this Human Rights Day to challenge recent negative rhetoric on rights, we are united in saying: we want better from the Prime Minister and a future where rights are real for everyone. #HumanRightsDay #HRD25
Human rights are essential for disabled people’s dignity and independence.
This #HumanRightsDay, Disability Wales joins 180+ organisations calling on the UK Government to defend and strengthen our rights, not undermine them.
Leadership matters.
www.bihr.org.uk/our-work/our...
#HRD25
Photo shows logos of organisations which are signatory to the letter
Dear Prime Minister and Political Leaders, This Human Rights Day comes at a significant moment. As civil society leaders, we write to mark seventy-five years since the European Convention on Human Rights, giving legal force to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and twenty-five years since our Human Rights Act brought these protections home into UK law. These anniversaries remind us that human rights are not abstract ideals. They are the framework that protects people’s dignity, limits the misuse of power, and helps to shape a fairer society. Across the UK, human rights have quietly and consistently made a difference in people’s lives: ensuring dignity in care, fairness in housing, protection in education, accountability in public services, and justice when things go wrong. Human rights protections need to be matched by strong political leadership and a clear commitment to put them into practice. The law provides the framework, but it is through the actions and choices of those in power that these protections become real in people’s lives. This year’s Human Rights Day falls at a time when many people feel deep uncertainty about the future. These are serious and worrying times. It would be easy to look inward, to narrow our vision, or to allow hard-won protections to slip away through neglect or division. But we choose a different path. We choose to look forward with determination and hope. The lesson of history is that human rights matter most when they are hardest to defend. In moments of uncertainty, they provide a shared foundation of fairness, dignity and accountability - the rules that keep our democracy decent and our society grounded in respect for each other’s humanity... Text continues and is available in full (http://www.cfois.scot/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/HRD-2025-Letter-Text-Signatory.pdf) and in easy read format (http://www.cfois.scot/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/HRD25-Easy-Read-Letter.pdf)
Sanchita Hosali, CEO, British Institute of Human Rights Katherine Hill, Director, 4in10 London's Child Poverty Network Margaret Simpson MBE MSC FRSA, CEO, ABILITY BORDERS SCIO Kari Gerstheimer, CEO & Founder, Access Social Care Jeremy Crook OBE, Chief Executive, Action for Race Equality Liz Bayram, CEO, Advice UK Justine Forster, CEO, Advocacy Focus Maya Uddin, Chief Executive, Advocacy Highland Arlene Astley, Operations & Development Manager, AdvoCard Angela Ellis, Chief Executive, Advonet Aderonke Apata, Founder & CEO, African Rainbow Family Cllr Faith Gakanje-Ajala, Founder, African Women Empowerment Forum Maya Esslemont, Director, After Exploitation Katherine Crawford, Chief Executive, Age Scotland Joe Powell, CEO, All Wales People First Furrah Riaz, Programme Manager, Amina - The Muslim Women's Resource Centre Kerry Moscogiuri, Director of Campaigns & Communications, Amnesty International UK Vanessa Paynton, Executive Director, Art in Healthcare Helen Trew, CEO, Art27 Scotland Deborah Alsina, Chief Executive, Arthritis UK Piya Muqit, Executive Director, Asylum Aid Kat Lorenz, Director, Asylum Support Appeals Project Diana Skelton, National Coordinator, ATD Fourth World UK Zainab Homam, CEO, Awesta Charitable Organisation Danny Boyle, CEO, BEMIS Scotland Silkie Carlo, Director, Big Brother Watch Ben Higgins, CEO, Bild (British Institute of Learning Disabilities) Hazel Williams, CEO, Birthrights Kate Mercer, Founder, Black Belt Advocacy Romilly Greenhill, CEO, Bond Professor Sam Baron, Chief Executive, British Association of Social Workers Helen Wildbore, CEO, Care Rights UK Helen Walker, CEO, Carers UK Sam Smith, CEO, C-Change Claire Stern, Deputy CEO, Central England Law Centre Text continues and is available in full (http://www.cfois.scot/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/HRD-2025-Letter-Text-Signatory.pdf) and in easy read format (http://www.cfois.scot/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/HRD25-Easy-Read-Letter.pdf)
Human rights matter most when they are hardest to defend.
This Human Rights Day, we’re part of 180+ organisations standing together to call out recent rhetoric from the government and demand better from the PM. We want leadership that strengthens rights.
#HumanRightsDay #HRD25
A png, with the designed version of the letter
⚖️ Human rights matter, especially now.
✊ This #HumanRightsDay, we join 180+ organisations calling for leadership that defends our rights.
🔗www.justrightscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/...
#HRD25 #HumanRights
@ris-law.bsky.social's Partner @anne-marieirwin.bsky.social is attending a special event hosted by the BIHR today celebrating 75 years of the European Convention on Human Rights and 25 years of our Human Rights Act #HRD25 2/3
Human rights provide us with fairness, dignity and accountability. we're with 180+ groups across the UK who come together on Human Rights Day challenging negative rhetoric on rights, we are united, we need better from the Prime Minister, a future where rights are real for all
#HumanRights Day #HRD25
That’s why we’re with 180+ groups across the UK have come together this Human Rights Day to challenge recent negative rhetoric on rights, we are united in saying: we want better from the Prime Minister and a future where rights are real for everyone. #HumanRightsDay #HRD25
In moments of uncertainty, human rights provide a shared foundation of fairness, dignity & accountability. 180+ orgs have come together to challenge negative rhetoric on rights, united: we want better from PM & a future where rights are real for everyone #HRD25
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