Human Rights, Equalities and Access to Services in Rural Scotland

What the New Parliamentary Report Means for the Borders

A new report from the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee has put rural communities firmly in the spotlight – our CEO, Juliana Amaral, served as a witness at the parliament in November 2025 provided evidence representing the voice of Borders Third Sector.

The Committee’s inquiry looked at how well people in rural and island areas can realise their basic rights: to decent housing, transport, work, healthcare, income and access to justice. Its conclusions will resonate with many of our members and communities.

What we told the Committee

Borders Community Action highlighted three “grand challenges” facing our communities: transport, economic disadvantage and the impact these have on people’s life chances. We stressed that the Scottish Borders is one of the lowest wage economies in Scotland, with most families needing a car just to get by, adding to the already higher cost of living in rural areas.

We also underlined the consequences of centralising services. Fewer local GP practices, long journeys to reach health and other public services, and limited public transport options are all making daily life harder, especially for older and disabled people and those on low incomes.

At the same time, we championed the strengths of our communities. Community transport, local support services and community‑led initiatives show what is possible when local people are trusted and resourced to design solutions that work in their own places. But we were clear: these cannot run on goodwill alone. Stable, multi‑year funding and genuine partnership with public bodies are essential.

What the report says

The Committee recognises the “rural premium” – the unavoidable extra costs of living in rural and island areas, from fuel and food to heating and childcare. It concludes that people in rural communities face deep‑rooted inequalities across transport, housing, health, employment, income and access to justice.

The report:

• Acknowledges the vital role of community‑led and third sector organisations in sustaining rural life.
• States that essential services cannot depend on volunteers and short‑term grants.
• Calls for fairer, multi‑year funding for the third sector and for community organisations to be involved from the very start of policy and service design (“co‑production”).
• Urges the Scottish Government to do more on rural transport, affordable housing, digital connectivity, childcare, and access to local advice and justice services.
• Reiterates disappointment that a Scottish Human Rights Bill has not yet been introduced, and calls for it to come early in the next parliamentary session with a strong rural and islands lens.

What this means for the Scottish Borders

• For Borders Community Action and our members, this report strengthens the case we have been making locally and nationally:
• that rural communities are facing a higher cost of living and fewer local services;
• that community organisations in the Borders are essential partners in tackling poverty, poor health and isolation;
• and that long‑term, fair funding and parity of esteem with statutory partners are needed if we are to move from crisis response to prevention and long‑term wellbeing.

We will use this report to:

• continue advocating for the Borders to be fully considered in national policy and funding decisions;
• push for multi‑year, “fairer funding” arrangements for the third sector;
• support the development of community‑led solutions and invest in third sector provisions that are already embed in local communities.

We will keep members updated as the Scottish Government responds to the Committee’s recommendations and as proposals for a new Human Rights Bill develop. In the meantime, your experiences and insights remain crucial.

We encourage our members to attend our events, in particular the third sector leaders networks where these topics are the focus discussions in 2026.