MS, Cabinet Secretary for Social
Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip: Human Rights Day marks the
adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the
United Nations General Assembly in 1948, a document that the
United Kingdom helped to shape. It sets out the shared principles
of dignity, equality, freedom and security which still guide
people and governments across the world and in Wales today.
This year's theme, “Human Rights, Our Everyday
Essentials”, reminds us that rights are not abstract or
distant concepts. They are the freedoms we rely on each day: to
speak, to learn, to work with dignity, and to live free from
discrimination. This week we are highlighting how those rights
show up in daily life in Wales, including in free school meals,
access to period products, safe and affordable housing, the use
of the Welsh language within services, accessible transport,
digital inclusion and welcoming community spaces.
Human rights are woven into the foundations of Welsh governance.
Under the Government of Wales Act 2006, Welsh Ministers must act
compatibly with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Our Strategic Equality and Human Rights Plan 2025 to 2029 sets a
clear human rights ambition, making the following statement of
commitment to our approach as a government:
Human rights are rights which belong to everyone. We will
respect, protect and fulfil our human rights and equality duties
so everyone in Wales may live their lives with dignity, freedom,
security and without discrimination. We commit to a human rights
approach which puts people at the centre of everything we do,
improving the well-being of current and future generations
This commitment is reflected in our equality and human rights
work which spans many areas of public life. The Anti-Racist Wales
Action Plan, our LGBTQ+ Plan, and our work with disabled people
including development of a Disabled People's Rights Plan, all
show that human rights are not abstract ideals but practical
commitments that shape the policies and services people rely on.
In Wales, we have long recognised that our children need extra
support to understand and access their rights. Children's rights
are a whole-government responsibility and guide our priorities in
particular across education, health and social services. We work
closely with the Children's Commissioner, local authorities and
the third sector and we listen directly to children and young
people so that their views inform decisions that affect them.
Our human rights work is informed by civil society and
independent expert advice. The Human Rights Advisory Group and
its subgroup, the Legislative Options Working Group play an
important role in shaping our approach to human rights in Wales.
I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to all members
of both Groups for the time, expertise and lived experience they
bring to this work.
These are turbulent times and we know there is more to do. It is
more important than ever that we work to ensure human rights are
not just words on paper, but are seen, felt and experienced by
people in their day-to-day lives. I am proud to serve in a
government that places equality and human rights at the heart of
its approach.
