Scotland: Government and business must prioritise human rights

Commenting ahead of today's Scottish Government debate on Climate Justice, Shabnum Mustapha, Programme Director of Amnesty in Scotland, said:

"Whilst Amnesty welcomes the First Minister's recent statements on climate justice - that economic development should be linked to human rights - we need to see words turn into action through the development of concrete policies which put human rights at the centre of any international economic framework. In recent months, Scotland has worked to strengthen economic ties with countries like China and various states within the United Arab Emirates. It is vital that Scotland does not trade away human rights in its pursuit of economic gain.

"The Scottish Government also needs to ensure that Scottish businesses, working both here and abroad, are more transparent, responsible and accountable for the impact they have on human rights and the environment. Governments and companies across the world have a duty to ensure that development does not have an adverse impact on human rights, with governments holding companies to account for any such violations."