Scotland, Human Rights and Equality: what public bodies need to do next
Wednesday 27th January 2027
Human rights and equality duties are becoming central to public service delivery in Scotland. Equality and human rights mainstreaming is not a single policy area. Public bodies now need to show how rights, equality, accessibility and inclusion are built into decisions, services, communications, procurement, complaints and accountability.
The Scottish Government published its Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming Action Plan on 8 December 2025. It brings together 61 actions across six drivers: leadership, accountability and transparency, regulatory and policy environment, evidence and experience, capability and culture, and capacity. The plan is explicitly intended to support equality, diversity and inclusion in policy and practice. Its aim is to show how equality and human rights can be embedded across government and the wider public sector. It also sits alongside continuing debate about Scotland’s proposed human rights legislation, the public sector equality duty, UNCRC implementation, gender and sex-based rights, disability rights, anti-racism, poverty and fairer budget decisions.
SPECIAL OFFER: use discount code HRW10 to get 10% off your booking
This conference examines what public bodies need to do next in light of a range of policy drivers. These include the proposed future Human Rights Bill for Scotland, the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, the Public Sector Equality Duty, equality and human rights mainstreaming and changing equality guidance.
Delegates will explore how rights-based decision-making can be evidenced, how children’s rights and inclusive communication can be implemented, how equality evidence can be improved and how competing rights can be managed lawfully and proportionately.
Bringing together public bodies, regulators, legal specialists, equality organisations, children’s rights experts, academics and third sector voices, the conference will help delegates turn legal and policy duties into defensible decisions, accessible services, stronger accountability and better outcomes.
This online conference will focus on three themes:
- Moving from action plans to implementation
- Mainstreaming in services, spending and procurement
- Law, scrutiny and difficult implementation choices
Key themes for discussion
- Understanding how to move from action plan to implementation
- Focussing on Scotland’s human rights agenda - what public bodies should prepare for
- Embedding rights with the Human Rights Bill - incorporation, duties and practical implications
- Hearing about UNCRC implementation - children’s rights in public authority decisions
- Taking on mainstreaming in services, spending and procurement
- Addressing Public Sector Equality Duty and mainstreaming
- Discussing inclusive communication, accessibility and service design
- Targeting law, scrutiny and difficult implementation choices
- Considering competing rights, single-sex services and lawful decision-making
- Action on the challenge of anti-racism, equality evidence and accountability for outcomes
Who should attend?
This conference will be of relevance to:
- Equality, diversity and inclusion leads
- Human rights, policy and strategy officers
- Legal, governance and compliance teams
- Public Sector Equality Duty leads
- Children’s rights and UNCRC implementation leads
- Complaints, scrutiny and accountability officers
- Service managers in councils, NHS boards, housing, education, justice and social care
- Accessibility and inclusive communication leads
- Digital inclusion and service design teams
- Procurement and commissioning professionals
- Community engagement and participation officers
- Third sector organisations delivering public services
- Regulators, inspectors and ombudsman bodies
- Senior managers responsible for lawful, fair and inclusive public service delivery
- Elected members, board members and non-executive directors with equality, rights or governance responsibilities
Speakers
Fiona McLeod
Partner & Solicitor Advocate
Brodies LLP Solicitors
Charlie McMillan
Director
Human Rights Consortium Scotland
Jenny Miller
Chief Executive Officer
PAMIS
Agenda
Wednesday 27th January 2027
09:05 Chair's opening remarks
Charlie McMillan, Director, Human Rights Consortium Scotland
LinkedIn
Session 1: From action plan to implementation
09:10 Keynote speaker: Scotland’s human rights agenda - what public bodies should prepare for
- What a future Human Rights Bill could change
- How rights-based duties affect everyday services
- Where public bodies need practical readiness
09:30 Question and answer session
09:40 The Human Rights Bill - incorporation, duties and practical implications
Fiona McLeod, Partner & Solicitor Advocate, Brodies LLP Solicitors
Linkedin
- Understanding what incorporation could mean
- Preparing systems before legislation arrives
- Turning rights into decisions and remedies
10:00 UNCRC implementation - children’s rights in public authority decisions
- Making compatibility duties practical
- Evidencing children’s rights impact
- Listening to children and young people meaningfully
10:20 Question and answer session
10:35 Comfort break
Session 2: Mainstreaming in services, spending and procurement
10:50 Public Sector Equality Duty and mainstreaming - moving beyond reports
- Embedding equality into decisions
- Improving evidence and outcomes
- Making mainstreaming useful, not cosmetic
11:10 Inclusive communication, accessibility and service design
Jenny Miller, Chief Executive Officer, PAMIS
LinkedIn PAMIS LinkedIn Jenny Miller
- Making information usable for everyone
- Designing services around access needs
- Avoiding exclusion in digital and frontline services
11:30 Question and answer session
11:45 Comfort break
Session 3: Law, scrutiny and difficult implementation choices
12:00 Competing rights, single-sex services and lawful decision-making
- Understanding changing equality guidance
- Managing privacy, dignity and inclusion
- Making decisions that are lawful and proportionate
12:20 Anti-racism, equality evidence and accountability for outcomes
- Strengthening equality evidence
- Moving from commitments to measurable change
- Holding systems accountable for unequal outcomes
12:40 Question and answer session
12:55 Chair's closing remarks
Charlie McMillan, Director, Human Rights Consortium Scotland
LinkedIn
Speakers
Fiona McLeod
Partner & Solicitor Advocate
Brodies LLP Solicitors
Fiona has considerable experience in working with public sector clients and is an accredited expert in Housing and Residential Tenancy law. She is also an experienced litigator and appears in courts throughout Scotland in all aspects of civil litigation.
Fiona's clients include central and local government, regulatory bodies, housing associations and private clients. She regularly advises on legislation, statutory interpretation, and powers and duties of public bodies. Fiona prides herself on her clear understanding of the law with the ability to present information in a way that is accessible and understandable to non-lawyers.
Charlie McMillan
Director
Human Rights Consortium Scotland
Charlie McMillan is the Director of the Human Rights Consortium Scotland. He joined us in September 2024 from the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities.
He was the SCLD Chief Executive for 5 years and was the founder and Chair of Restraint Reduction Scotland, and Co-Chair of the Scottish Gender-Based Violence and Learning Disability Steering Group in this role.
Charlie has worked in a wide range of roles across the Scottish voluntary sector during his career. He has significant experience in lobbying, campaigning and policy development. He is an individual LGBT+ activist and has a wide range of other personal interests including mindfulness-based meditation.
Jenny Miller
Chief Executive Officer
PAMIS
Venue
This conference takes place online.
Fees
SPECIAL OFFER: use your discount code to get 10% off your booking (different codes apply dependent on where you saw it)
How to book
You can book to attend in 3 ways:
- Select book now on the right hand side of this page, fill in the form on that page and click the 'send booking' button
- Call 07377 147271
- Email mail@mackayhannah.com
Conference fees
- Delegate fee (includes video recording of the conference) – £169 +VAT
- Group discount – organisations booking 3 or more delegates will receive every third delegate place at half price (please complete further forms if necessary)
Please note – it is not permissible to share the recording. Please contact us if you wish to share it. See our terms and conditions for further information.
Payment
We do not currently accept payments online and will send you an invoice.
You have the option to pay by bank transfer or card.
Bank details will be included on the invoice.
If you wish to pay by card, please tick the appropriate box on the booking form and a member of our staff will contact you by telephone to take the payment. Alternatively you may call 07377 147271.
Terms and conditions
By placing this booking, you agree to the full terms and conditions found via the link at the foot of our website.
