Guest Lecture 5 - Empowering Human Rights Defenders
October 29, 13:00-14:00
Human Rights in Scotland – All You Need to Know
Guest Lecture Five: Empowering Human Rights Defenders
Date: Wednesday 29 October 2025
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Format: Online via Zoom
Access: HRCS Members Only
About this Session
Human rights are most powerful when defended by the people and communities they are designed to protect. In this fifth session of our Guest Lecture Series, we focus on the role of individual human rights defenders in Scotland.
We’ll hear from those working directly to empower people to understand and claim their rights - often in the face of structural inequality, stigma or institutional barriers.
This session will explore the challenges, opportunities, and real-life impacts of community-based rights work, and reflect on how public bodies, funders, and civil society can better support and resource human rights defenders across Scotland.
Speakers
Clare MacGillivray, Director, Making Rights Real
“Clare is a community worker, activist and campaigner for human rights. A passionate community development practitioner, she has over 25 years’ experience of working with communities campaigning for equality and social justice.
Clare is Founder of the Fearless podcasts and an Atlantic Fellow for Economic and Social Equity with London School of Economics.
A member of the International Association for Community Development International Committee, in 2019 she was awarded the Global Ambassador Award for Community Development.”
Lorne Berkley, Strategic Lead: Policy and Rights, SCLD
“Lorne has been working in policy and research roles in the third sector since 2007. Prior to joining the SCLD in 2016, he was policy manager at Quarriers and before that he worked at the Health and Social Care Alliance and The Wise Group. Lorne is passionate about advancing social justice, promoting equality and non-discrimination and the importance of empowering people with learning disabilities to be human rights defenders.”
John Gallon, Include For Good Rapporteur, SCLD
“John has been involved with SCLD for over 8 years. His work as a human rights defender with SCLD really began in 2019 when he was part of a team of people with learning disabilities who supported SCLD to develop the Human Rights Town App. John later became part of the Learning Disability Human Rights Lived Experience Board for the Human Rights Bill. He was also part of a small team of Trusted Advisors who helped SCLD to shape Include For Good, their programme for change. John is now a Rapporteur for Include For Good.”
Not yet a member - or haven’t renewed yet?
This event is part of our members-only Guest Lecture Series.
If you’re not yet a member, or if your organisation joined before 6 May 2025 and hasn’t yet renewed under our new Constitution, you’ll need to complete a short membership form to gain access. Please click on the link for more information: https://www.hrcscotland.org/news/news/renew-your-consortium-membership-now/
If you have any questions, feel free to email us at events@hrcscotland.org
