Jane Hutt 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.