The SNP MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Bill Kidd, has welcomed news that the Scottish Human Rights Commission has been elected as Chair of the European Group of National Human Rights Institutions at a meeting in Geneva today.

Mr Kidd said: "This is a very welcome development and a great honour for the work of the Scottish Human Rights Commission.

"Scotland will lead Europe's human right's institutions for the next two years highlighting our own approach to human rights, our unique legal system and holding Scotland and other nations to account.

"For Scotlands human rights body to achieve such a role is not only a great honour but shows the confidence the European Group have in their important work. My congratulations go to Professor Alan Miller and his team at the SHRC for achieving this distinction."

Notes:

The European Group is one of four regional groups which brings together national human rights bodies. The European Group works alongside the regional groups from Africa, Asia / Pacific and the Americas, and is made up of 35 European human rights institutions from France to Azerbaijan, Luxembourg to Greece.

Scotland's two-year leadership of the European Group will follow on from the Irish Human Rights Commission, who acted as the previous Chair institution.

Scotland is one of 67 national human rights institutions who have achieved the highest level of accreditation from the United Nations, achieving 'A' status in 2010.

The election took place during the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, which opened at the Palais des Nations in Geneva today [17 May]. Representatives from over 160 countries as well as Government and NGO observers are attending the conference.

www.scottishhumanrights.com