Mental health and wellbeing strategy, delivery plan and workforce action plan: human rights impact assessment (HRIA)

Legal

A human rights based approach requires the recognition of rights as legally enforceable entitlements and is linked in to national and international human rights law.

The Strategy has been designed to place human rights at the centre of its work and the process of carrying out this impact assessment will help to identify and recognise our obligations under international treaties.

By delivering on outcomes they will help us achieve positive changes in for individuals and positive changes in outcomes for communities (geographic communities, communities of interest and of shared characteristics), and therefore human rights and equalities.

That will over time contribute to longer-term, population outcomes (dependent on action across policy areas and funding streams). Throughout this we will be working towards our High Level Summary Outcomes which includes Whole Population Level Outcomes so that the overall mental health and wellbeing of the population is increased and mental health inequalities are reduced. Achieving these outcomes should have a positive effect on human rights and equalities. The Strategy and both plans we recognise the intersectionality of these.

Seven conventions were considered during this assessment; European Convention of Human Rights; International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination; UN Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Details on which conventions and specific rights might be engaged by the Strategy can be found in Annex A. Annex A does not include additional information on rights around reporting although it is accepted that these are relevant for any convention where rights are engaged by the Strategy (required periodic reporting under UN Conventions).

The actions in the Strategy, Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan should have a positive or neutral impact on human rights. None of the actions or outcomes should negatively impact on human rights.