Seven grants will be shared across 15 organisations helping people and communities defend their human rights and drive change.
This builds on three grants made earlier this year. The work will boost the resources and ability of people to challenge powerful structures that are responsible for upholding rights.
This new funding has been made possible through a partnership of seven funders from Scotland and the wider UK. This currently includes: AB Charitable Trust, Binks Trust, Cattanach, Corra Foundation, The Baring Foundation, The Robertson Trust and William Grant Foundation.
The grants were made through a participatory process, reflecting the PANEL principles of a human rights-based approach. As part of this, the funding decisions were made by people with lived experience of barriers and challenges to the enjoyment of their human rights.
Jim McCormick, Chief Executive of The Robertson Trust said: "We are delighted to contribute to the new independent Human Rights Fund. These grants will enable partner organisations to empower children, young people and adults whose rights are most at risk in Scotland today, to amplify their voices and take action. Their combined impact will go above and beyond the day-to-day work of keeping services going. Crucially, they will seek to hold duty bearers to account and demonstrate how upholding rights in practice creates a foundation of security for us all. We thank Corra Foundation for bringing all their expertise to bear on shaping the Fund and shifting the power of decision-making.”
Carolyn Sawers, Corra CEO said: “It is a critical time for human rights in Scotland. These grants support vital work to help children and adults understand their rights, campaign and advocate together, and use the law to change systems. Collectively, this funding will help communities to make themselves heard and pursue change that makes a difference in their daily lives.”
|
Lead applicant |
Partner/s |
Summary (text from the application) |
Grant amount |
|
Amnesty International UK Section Charitable Trust |
Refuweegee, Central & West Integration Network |
Through collaboration and knowledge exchange we will ‘power up’ activists working with community-based organisations to increase their impact; by developing their ability to engage in campaigning and political influencing. |
£77,341 |
|
Clan Childlaw |
Together Scotland |
Building capacity and empowering the children’s sector to use the law to hold duty bearers to account and drive systemic change in how children experience their rights in practice. |
£147,253 |
|
Human Rights Consortium Scotland |
n/a |
To support work as Scotland's civil society network dedicated to defending and promoting human rights through collective advocacy, resource sharing, and empowering community voices. |
£150,000 |
|
JustRight Scotland |
Grampian Regional Equality Council, Romano Lav |
Using community lawyering to support Rights Reps and Champions in the North East and West of Scotland, securing accountability for rights violations experienced by people seeking asylum and Roma people. |
£145,506 |
|
LGBT Youth Scotland |
Rock Trust |
Supporting LGBTQ+ young people to understand, access and advocate for their right to adequate housing, through co-produced activities. |
£66,679 |
|
Scottish Women’s Aid Ltd |
Argyll and Bute Women's Aid |
Survivor-led development of a tool for sheriffs and Children's Hearing System to consult when making decisions about child contact, and supporting young people in accessing justice in their own right. |
£150,000 |
|
Shelter Scotland |
Legal Services Agency |
To form the Homelessness Justice Legal Collaboration (HJLC) group: a collaborative legal response to the housing emergency. HJLC will share expertise, develop legal strategies and challenge systemic homelessness rights breaches. |
£120,160 |
The Independent Human Rights Fund for Scotland supports action to realise and defend rights, and tackle immediate rights issues affecting people’s daily lives. Funding will:
- Enable organisations working in Scotland to close the gap between policy and practice, and the lived experience of people whose rights are most at risk;
- Help unlock the power of people, communities and organisations to name and claim their rights and hold duty bearers to account;
- Create conditions for a strong human rights sector in Scotland.
For more information on the Independent Human Rights Fund for Scotland, please visit Corra’s website or contact comms@corra.scot.
