Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs) are one of the key ways in which human rights, and a culture of human rights, can be systematically mainstreamed and embedded into the policies, practices , procedures and priorities of government, public and private bodies.

Many public authorities, businesses and civil society groups in other countries now have considerable experience of HRIAs. In Scotland, HRIA methodologies have been developed by public bodies largely as an extension of the more widely used Equality Impact Assessments. Among these public bodies there is growing awareness of the range of the available HRIA methodologies and the potential value in assessing human rights impacts.

The Commission wishes to promote the use of HRIA and aims to produce a HRIA tool for Scottish public authorities which will be piloted throughout 2011/12. In particular the Commission hopes that HRIA tools or methodologies may assist public bodies with public spending decision making.

As a first step the Commission asked Dr James Harrison and Mary-Ann Stephenson to survey the different methodologies and practices which are available. The research provides an information base regarding current practice in undertaking HRIAs, both domestically and internationally. It is also a useful guide around future thinking on HRIAs, and should assist organisations who are developing HRIA methodologies and practices which will be appropriate and relevant to their particular area of work.