Naomi McAuliffe is Amnesty International’s Scotland programme director AMNESTY International has said Scotland has the opportunity to be a world leader with new human rights laws. Scottish Government Equalities Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville yesterday unveiled the proposals, which would see legislation introduced to improve human rights for women, disabled people and minority ethnic communities. The bill would also have a key impact on poverty, housing, health, social care, drugs policy and other issues. The four UN treaties are the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Glasgow University has a total of £751,568 invested in companies linked to West Bank settlements.
SCOTTISH universities have shares worth more than £2 million in companies linked to settlements in the West Bank which are considered illegal under international law, The Ferret can reveal. Companies backed financially by Scots academic institutions include a bank which finances construction in the West Bank and major global financial institutions underwriting Airbnb, which has around 200 properties for rent in illegal Israeli settlements. Critics have raised concerns over these investments and called for divestment from some of the firms. The universities said in response they are fully committed to socially responsible investments while the banks all have policies to uphold human rights.