The final item of business today is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-12441, in the name of Patricia Ferguson, on young people and the Commonwealth, Commonwealth day 2015. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises the valuable role of the Commonwealth in building relationships between nations across the world; welcomes the continued contribution of Scotland and its people to these relationships; acknowledges the challenges, as well as benefits, particularly for young people, and reaffirms its support for the work of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
17:08
Thank you, Presiding Officer. As you are aware, Parliament holds this parliamentary debate every year on or around Commonwealth day. Although the motion that we are considering tonight was lodged in my name, it is not solely my debate but one that is sponsored by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association branch executive. We will hear from my colleagues on the branch executive, Margaret Mitchell, Tavish Scott and Sandra White, in the course of the debate.
The theme of this year’s Commonwealth day is young people. That seems to me to be a particularly relevant theme to pursue in a Commonwealth of 2.2 billion citizens, 60 per cent of whom are under the age of 30. As part of the celebration of Commonwealth day, the CPA branch will hold a reception immediately after the debate, which will be attended by university students from around Scotland and by young people nominated by the 13 consuls general and honorary consuls general who are based in Scotland to represent Commonwealth countries.
Immediately before the debate, we held a round-table discussion on issues for the Commonwealth and specifically the issue of violence against women and girls. We were joined in that discussion by 22 young people from Scotland’s universities, and they have joined us again in the public gallery this evening. On behalf of the branch, I thank each and every one of them for their insightful contributions, their challenging questions to us and the thought-provoking issues that they raised with us, which we will no doubt reflect on and take forward. They encapsulated exactly what the Commonwealth should be about and what the Commonwealth day celebration should be about. We thank them for their contribution.
Violence against women and girls is not confined to one region; it affects us all. At a recent conference that I attended along with my colleagues Sandra White and Cara Hilton, we heard Baroness Scotland speak of her time as a Government minister, during which she pursued the issue. She engaged researchers from Lancaster University to ensure that she had the very best arguments at her fingertips. They estimated that the cost to the state in England and Wales of domestic violence was £23 billion. Baroness Scotland used that staggering figure to persuade her Cabinet colleagues that they had a financial stake in tackling domestic violence as well as a moral obligation to do so.
The same research demonstrated that, for every £1 that is spent on initiatives to tackle domestic abuse or to raise the profile of attempts to combat it, £6 is saved. There are 53 countries in the Commonwealth, so how much money could be saved if domestic violence was eliminated? That is a challenge, but it is an objective that is worth aiming for.
Domestic violence is not the only form of violence to which women and girls are exposed. We do not know how many girls who are normally resident in Scotland have been subjected to female genital mutilation, but we know that it is an abhorrent practice that is physically and psychologically damaging and we know that it is not a requirement of any religion. Indeed, some 350 faith leaders have asserted that it forms no part of the practices of their faiths. However, the culture persists and, as we discussed with the young people whom we met this afternoon, it is often the women in society who regard the practice as desirable for their children and grandchildren. We have to challenge and combat those views wherever they occur.
I warmly welcome the additional funds that the First Minister has announced for that this week, but it remains the case that there have been no successful prosecutions in any of the jurisdictions of the United Kingdom to date. We must be alive to the issue and do everything that we can to raise awareness of it. As was put to us this afternoon, how can we talk to other countries in the Commonwealth about their practices if we have been unable to prosecute people for the crime? There have, however, been prosecutions for human trafficking, which often involves women and sometimes men being forced into forms of modern slavery and into lives of drudgery and despair.
The world that our young people are inheriting has its challenges and advantages. To my mind, the internet is both a challenge and an advantage. At a recent CPA conference, we heard examples of the kinds of exploitation that can occur online. The presentation was harrowing. We heard of one website, which was hosted in the USA, that operated on the basis that, if people did not pay a sum of money, explicit photographs of them would be posted online. Even women who were sure that no such photograph existed paid up, because they were afraid of the consequences of family, friends or employers finding out.
In some cases, the situation is much worse, with children and young people being abused and film of that abuse being shown online. Governments across the Commonwealth have taken various actions to prevent such abuse, but it is not easy to legislate against it. To demonstrate the difficulty, we were told that, 19 years ago, it was estimated that 18 per cent of the pornography that involved exploiting children was hosted on websites in the UK. That figure is now down to 1 per cent, which is a very good thing, but that abuse is clearly continuing, and it has probably increased—it is just that those websites are now hosted elsewhere. It is therefore extremely important that we work together, and this is an area where the Commonwealth could play a part. There is already a Commonwealth cybercrime initiative, which is a good example of how such work can be taken forward.
It was put to us this afternoon—and I very much agree—that we will not tackle violence against women and girls unless men and boys understand and are involved in our campaigns. In particular, I identify the white ribbon campaign as a way in which men and boys can be involved in helping to eradicate that kind of crime and in standing up and saying that they will not be part of it and will not condone it. A number of football and rugby teams have now adopted the wearing of the white ribbon on their strips, and we should do more to encourage that.
The advantage of the Commonwealth is that we can discuss these issues and support one another in finding solutions to these problems, which beset most countries in the world. We do so knowing that we share the strength of 53 countries. We have to speak up on issues such as this. We have to recognise when we will disagree. We have to support one another to change. We also have to articulate our shared values of democracy and equality. The Commonwealth charter is one way in which we explain our values.
In her message to the Commonwealth this year, Her Majesty the Queen said:
“the Commonwealth can only flourish if its ideas and ideals continue to be young and fresh and relevant to all generations.”
Those are very apt words from someone who has been at the heart of that Commonwealth for so many years.
It is often said that young people are our future, but they also live in the here and now, so we must listen to them and encourage them to be part of shaping that happy and fulfilled future that we all wish for them.
17:17
I thank Patricia Ferguson for her speech, and I welcome the young people in the public gallery.
This time last year, we were team Commonwealth, gearing up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth games. In my city of Glasgow and throughout Scotland, there was huge excitement and expectation as to what the games were going to deliver, and deliver they certainly did.
Being in Glasgow at the time of the games was fantastic. The city was buzzing, and I have honestly never seen Glasgow, or indeed other parts of Scotland, so full of energy. Walking down the street and seeing people from around the globe was simply amazing. Thanks to the people of Glasgow and the 15,000 volunteers, everyone was treated to the friendliest of welcomes. Over the period of the games, we played host to 4,500 athletes and more than 1 million spectators, making the games one of the most successful of all time.
The legacy that the games gave us was equally important, and I congratulate all those involved in ensuring not only that the games were successful but that they gave and are giving us an amazing legacy. Since the games, legacy 2014 has already supported more than 150 projects to improve community facilities. By 2016, it will have created 150 community sport hubs. It has also established more than 100 cultural programmes, with links to 26 Commonwealth countries, and it has created 150 Young Scot youth legacy ambassadors. We should all be proud of that legacy.
The list goes on. The key point is that, in many cases, it is young people who are benefiting and who are making such a difference. Whether it was 21-year-old Charlie Flynn winning gold in the boxing or the youngest-ever medallist in the Commonwealth games, the inspiring 13-year-old Erraid Davies winning bronze in the swimming pool, young people across Scotland and throughout the Commonwealth were all winners.
Since then, the eyes of the world have been on Scotland for another reason, namely the referendum on Scottish independence. Regardless of the outcome, one thing that is clear is the profound effect that it had on our society, especially on our young people. For the first time, 16 and 17-year-olds were given the vote, which led to unprecedented interest in what kind of society and what kind of future they wanted to see. It also led to an incredible amount of political engagement, not only from 16 and 17-year-olds but from people even younger—and of course from many older people, too. That interest and engagement is sure to continue as the franchise for 16 and 17-year-olds has been devolved to coincide with next year’s Scottish Parliament elections. We should celebrate that, too. I would like to see other Commonwealth countries picking up on that.
The referendum taught us that, given the opportunity, many young people can play an incredibly important role in shaping the future and, indeed, are more than willing to do so. As I have said, I hope that all countries of the Commonwealth can learn from that. In fact, the Commonwealth theme for this year is “A Young Commonwealth—young people with potentialities who play a vital role in sustainable development and democracy”. As Patricia Ferguson has already mentioned, we met many of those young people earlier today. There was a round-table discussion on violence against women and girls in which they engaged with passionate and constructive contributions, and I look forward to meeting them all at the parliamentary reception at 6 o’clock.
As has been pointed out, the 53 member countries of the Commonwealth have a combined population of 2 billion, 60 per cent of whom are under 30. I believe that we all have a duty to listen to those young people and, through them and relevant organisations such as the CPA and its partners, work towards a secure and sustainable future for us all.
17:21
I congratulate Patricia Ferguson on lodging the motion, part of which recognises the great work of the CPA.
The association, of which Patricia Ferguson has been a dedicated member since 2012, fulfils a vital role in the context of Parliament’s relationship with the wider international community, through programmes that promote parliamentary democracy and activities that encourage sustainable development, the reduction of poverty and support for human rights. As co-convener of the cross-party group on men’s violence against women and children, I of course agree with everything that Patricia Ferguson said about domestic abuse, FGM and other forms of child abuse, and I agree that such problems, which unfortunately bedevil every country in the world, have to be tackled at international level.
This evening, however, I want to focus on the theme “A Young Commonwealth”. The Commonwealth comprises 53 countries and 30 per cent of the world’s population; however, half that population is under 25, and today we come together to recognise the young activists and entrepreneurs who contribute such a great deal to their countries and this family of nations. Each story of progress is an inspiration, and I know that many of those stories will be told today.
Commonwealth day is celebrated on the second Monday of March every year, and the celebrations culminate in a multifaith service at Westminster abbey that is attended by the Queen, representatives of the Commonwealth countries and—which is important this year—1,000 school-aged children. This is an important and valuable opportunity to reflect on the Commonwealth’s diversity, and it reminds us of our shared aspirations for a fairer and more equal world for future generations. After all, it is those generations who will work to achieve their own potential as active members of a global community. As the Commonwealth secretary general Kamalesh Sharma has pointed out:
“A Young Commonwealth recognises the capacity, contribution and potential of young people, who play a vital role at the heart of sustainable development and democracy.”
Terri Smith from my constituency is active not only in her own community but as vice-chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, and she attended Monday’s service as the representative of the Scottish branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Her thoughts on the experience echo the positive sentiments of the many hundreds who attend the event each year. She said:
“Young people are not only our here and now, they are our future. Being united with young people from all over the commonwealth was a unique experience. We are all from different cultures but what unites us is that we are the future.”
Including and empowering young people is, I feel, key to the long-term strength of not only the Commonwealth but political structures here in the UK; indeed, that is why I support votes at 16. The Scottish branch of the CPA has worked closely with our Scottish Youth Parliament in the past, and has supported Emily Shaw MSYP in attending the jubilee Scottish Youth Parliament that was hosted by the CPA and which allowed young representatives to mark the jubilee year and discuss issues that are pertinent to their lives and their future.
Recognising and rewarding social concern and philanthropy is at the heart of the “A Young Commonwealth” theme. On Tuesday, four outstanding young people were honoured in the Commonwealth youth awards for excellence in development work to reward their exceptional work in promoting youth empowerment, education and entrepreneurship, the environment and gender equality. Their achievements were chosen from the 16 positive examples that were selected for recognition this year.
The director of youth at the Commonwealth secretariat, Katherine Ellis, pointed out:
“Young people throughout the Commonwealth are creating and leading projects that have real and tangible impact. The work of our incredible finalists is proof that young people are integrally involved in the process of change, and not simply passive beneficiaries of development.”
I was going to give a couple of examples, but I can see that my time is running out, so I will conclude. Those are examples of the many exceptional young people who were represented on Commonwealth day this year. They are trailblazers for improving our human rights and ambassadors for an approach that is rooted in community activism and which reaches out across their regions. We may close the debate safe in the knowledge that the young Commonwealth has a very bright future.
17:25
I am pleased to speak in the debate and to have the opportunity to highlight the unique role that the Commonwealth plays in fostering valuable relationships and connections among parliamentarians across the world.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s mission is to strengthen parliamentary democracy and promote good governance. The contacts that are established through networking and participating in conferences and seminars and the sharing of information among delegates are among the most valuable, but largely unspoken, aspects of the CPA. The opportunity to learn from other countries in conferences and in correspondence between delegates that often follows is helpful for not only the 31 small nations of the Commonwealth that have populations of fewer than 1.5 million, but for more established democracies, such as Scotland and Canada. As Her Majesty the Queen stated in her Commonwealth day message this year:
“One simple lesson from history is that when people come together to talk, to exchange ideas and to develop common goals, wonderful things can happen.”
However, the Queen sounded a cautionary note in the same message to the effect that that will happen only if those common goals bridge the various generations and are relevant to each.
That is why today’s round-table discussion with young people from various Commonwealth countries who are studying in Scotland was so important. With 60 per cent of the Commonwealth’s population of 2 billion under 30 years of age, the phrase “Young people are our future” has never been more apt.
In September 2007, I attended the CPA annual conference in New Delhi, where I first heard human trafficking described as “modern-day slavery”. The full extent of that appalling trade, which predominantly but not exclusively affects women and children, was made clear to the parliamentarians who attended that conference, because it was given prominence as part of the main business of the conference on the floor of the chamber.
Seven years later, the Scottish Government introduced its own legislation on human trafficking and exploitation. The Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Bill is being scrutinised by the Justice Committee, in which the definition of “trafficking” and, in particular, the word “travel” have been thoroughly discussed. Travel is intrinsic to the process of trafficking, and it is important that the definition covers not just travel between countries but—which is more alarming—travel within countries and even from city to city.
Furthermore, uncomfortable issues such as historical child sexual abuse and forced marriage are being tackled in Scotland, with the recently announced public inquiry into historical in-care abuse and amendment to the Forced Marriage etc (Protection and Jurisdiction) (Scotland) Act 2011, which makes forced marriage a criminal offence that carries a sentence of seven years. Therefore, important steps are being taken and we are moving forward.
The contributions, thoughts and ideas that we heard today from the young people who took part in the round-table discussion were proof positive for me and my colleagues that the Commonwealth is indeed in safe hands.
17:29
I thank Patricia Ferguson for bringing the debate to Parliament, my colleagues from the branch who have already contributed, and other members who take a close interest in the work of the CPA and have represented this Parliament on a number of occasions at CPA events in different parts of the world.
For those who are in the public gallery, I should explain that this debate is not like normal knockabout debates on accounting figures, which we debated earlier. It is much more an occasion for members to give voice to some deep themes, and I suggest that colleagues across the benches have done exactly that, both on what a young Commonwealth should mean and on tackling, challenging and campaigning against the violence that is wrought against women and girls.
As Patricia Ferguson said, discussing such themes was the purpose of the meeting that we had with students from universities across Scotland this afternoon. If there was one great advantage to that, it was that it got us out of the great debate on numbers. More important, there were two or three points that seemed to me to be fundamentally important in relation to how the next generation is thinking about those issues. They should be a lesson for those of us who are legislators in this Parliament or who play a role in any Parliament.
The first point was about the diversity of the Commonwealth. A number of our student colleagues made the argument well today, and they perceptively picked up the reality of the challenge that all of us face when we represent our Parliament at events overseas, which is to do with the different emphasis that is brought to bear on issues that are culturally inbuilt and incredibly challenging and which mean that some hard questions have to be asked. I thought that that point was well made today.
The second point was about the need to recognise what must happen here in Scotland on female genital mutilation and educating our medical professionals and indeed all of us. One of the students is a trainee nurse and she described to the meeting the importance of ensuring that we learn about, understand and can therefore do something about some of the profoundly important issues and abhorrent practices that need to be tackled in Scotland as well as in other parts of the world. There is no point in any of us going overseas and lecturing if we cannot deal with matters here in our own country—another point that was well made to us this afternoon.
I forget who made the final point, but I pay tribute to Queen Margaret University, because it is clear that there is a considerable body of research being done there on violence against women and girls, which I hope will help to ensure that Parliament, MSPs and the Government understand those issues. Some interesting points were made about definition. A definition that we might all understand in this Parliament, and which our prosecution services might well understand, could be understood very differently in parts of Africa or India or in other parts of the Commonwealth. Again, that point was incredibly well made this afternoon.
I want to make two other points, if I may. The first is about the importance that our branch of the CPA in Holyrood attaches to young people. Malcolm Chisholm kindly mentioned Emily Shaw, who used to be a constituent of mine and is now a law student at the University of Aberdeen. No doubt, she has a glittering career ahead of her in law—indeed, knowing Emily, in anything. As Malcolm Chisholm rightly pointed out, she was down in London a couple of years back representing the Scottish Youth Parliament and Scotland at the jubilee Youth Parliament. We support that every year; it is one of the strong initiatives that we support. We also ensure that a couple of members of the Scottish Youth Parliament take part in the Commonwealth day observance ceremony in London, for very good reasons.
Elections to the new Scottish Youth Parliament are taking place right now. On Monday, I am due to be in Lerwick to greet warmly the two new members of the Scottish Youth Parliament for Shetland, and I have no doubt that colleagues from across the Parliament will be doing the same in their own areas.
My final point is about international education. For me, that came across as a strong theme in the discussions that we had this afternoon with students from Scotland’s universities. When one lives in a part of the world such as Shetland, international education is pretty profoundly important. One of the strongest relationships that currently exist is between the Anderson high school in Lerwick and the South Peninsula high school in Cape Town, South Africa, which is part of the Commonwealth. It is one of the oldest links between a South African school and a UK school, and students from my part of the world not only get to go to an astonishing place but get to study with, learn from and listen to political activists, young and old—of course, the older ones can reflect on what apartheid meant and on the modern South Africa that they now live in. That is one heck of a good way to make sure that a generation of young people from Shetland—although this would apply to pupils in any school in Scotland—know about the world around them before they enter the largest phase of their lives.
It is indeed a young Commonwealth and we should do all that we can to promote it.
17:35
First, I thank Patricia Ferguson for bringing the debate to the chamber in light of this year’s Commonwealth day celebrations. I would also like to commend the Scottish branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for its work over the past 16 years in supporting the Commonwealth, being fully participative, and demonstrating Scotland’s commitment to international engagement.
As we have heard, 2015 is the year in which we honour our youth and, in doing so, we celebrate the vitality and the energy that they bring forth, which is necessary if we are to develop a sustainable future not just in Scotland but across the Commonwealth and beyond.
The Commonwealth comprises people from across all the continents of the world. Despite the incredible diversity of members of the Commonwealth, we are intrinsically linked through our common history and dedication to democracy and education.
As with all collaborations, nothing is perfect. Some countries in the Commonwealth still struggle with equality and human rights at the very basic level. The militant extremist group Boko Haram threatens Nigeria and, in doing so, mirrors and even suggests ties with the recent struggles in the west and in the middle east against ISIS militants. Malala Yousafzai is still pioneering women’s rights to education in Pakistan, and the BBC documentary “India’s Daughter” demonstrates that India, too, must work to overcome misogyny, as must other societies. Of course, no country in the Commonwealth is perfect—we must struggle against such issues in our country on a daily basis.
Even amid the instances of ignorance and violence, hope appears in the efforts of our younger generation. Protests against the treatment of Malala and Nirbhaya filled the streets of cities across the Commonwealth, and social media pages attest to the interest and the stake that the youth of the Commonwealth have in the values of civil liberty and democracy.
Colleagues have talked about FGM and human trafficking, and I associate myself completely with their remarks. Tavish Scott talked about how important students from across the Commonwealth are to Scotland and how they bring a tremendous vibrancy to our communities.
On women’s rights, I saw for myself in Tanzania a women’s collective that raises funds and loans them to its members in small, very poor and often rural communities to allow them to purchase important day-to-day items such as looms, farming tools or even livestock. In many cases, that leads to the establishment of independent businesses, which helps to raise the esteem in which those women are held by the wider community, and it adds to their acceptance as economic contributors. Through their work, such collectives have significantly reduced domestic violence against the women who are their members.
By sharing information and experiences and protesting about basic human rights atrocities, our young people send the message that they will not be passive in the face of blatant injustice. The Commonwealth enables young people from across the globe to find connections, given their shared history. A tremendous opportunity exists for our younger people to work together to create the more sustainable future that we all seek. The Commonwealth facilitates the exchange of ideas across international borders and gives young people the chance to come together and discuss how best to have a positive impact on their surroundings.
As far as our planet’s future is concerned, the sheer number of people who live in Commonwealth countries gives youth the opportunity to work together to discover new ways for our social, political and economic structures to develop. The world is becoming more accessible and more reliant on international relations and technology. Increasingly, people may begin to identify themselves by the technologies that they use or by their views on civil liberties.
The views of young people are vital—young people are more adaptable to change, as well as being understandably curious about the world around them. Living in the Commonwealth gives young people an opportunity to share ideas with peers and find connections, given our shared history. Here in Scotland, we are doing our bit to support the Commonwealth and deliver opportunities for our young people to achieve the best possible future and make the most out of their natural abilities through everything from apprenticeships to higher education.
Commonwealth day reminds us of our tremendous interconnection. It is a collaboration between our younger generations that will navigate us towards a much brighter future across the world.
17:40
I thank Patricia Ferguson and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for bringing this important matter to the chamber, as the CPA does every year, and I welcome all the guests in the public gallery, including the young people and indeed our consul generals.
I pick out one young person in particular who has travelled all the way from Malawi—young Monica Dzonzi—and give a special welcome to her. She will be well known to most of the association as the person who began the journey of the Queen’s baton relay, and, more important, she is a great ambassador for UNICEF. Those who have not read or heard her story must go to their nearest computer after the debate and look at and hear her story. It is a powerful one about the legacy and hope that we want to promote together in terms of human rights, and no child being left behind in the Commonwealth.
It is fascinating that the Commonwealth has so many young people. As Patricia Ferguson said and other speakers reiterated, 60 per cent of people in the Commonwealth are under the age of 30. I am part of that statistic, and will be for another 26 days. It is perhaps less true for the countries in the western hemisphere and more true for the countries in the global south. It represents a huge opportunity for those countries, but only if those young people are given the support and cultivation that they need.
Many members mentioned that, when we had our debate on Commonwealth week last year, we were anticipating the Commonwealth games. Now we have had the games, and what a phenomenal success the event was for the city of Glasgow, for Scotland, for the entire United Kingdom and for the entire Commonwealth.
The city that I have the great pleasure of representing, Glasgow, has had many firsts in its time. It was the first city to grant Nelson Mandela the freedom of the city when he was still incarcerated in prison, and it was the first city to offer an African American a degree when, in the 1800s, James McCune Smith got his medical degree from the University of Glasgow. Perhaps one of our finest firsts to add to that is that the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth games was the first to simultaneously raise funds for a very good cause—children across the world—through UNICEF. It was also the first games to integrate parasports. I am delighted that, although I cannot stay for the reception after the debate, I will be able to open UNICEF’s offices in Scotland. Perhaps that is a continuation of that legacy.
My parents came from different parts of the Commonwealth—my mother from Kenya and my father from Pakistan. The Commonwealth was, of course, born out of difficult circumstances and a challenging part of our history. I do not just mean the UK’s history, as Scotland played a huge role in the British empire, with Glasgow being known as the second city of the empire. There are visual reminders of that in Glasgow when we walk along streets such as Buchanan Street, Ingram Street and Bell Street, which were named after various slave owners. Glasgow and Scotland played a role in the British empire too.
What is important for us, whether in Scotland or the United Kingdom, is to ensure that we have learned from that history and that the Commonwealth, which has become something positive, continues to be a force for good. That was demonstrated throughout the Commonwealth games, which were about more than sport—that was a common theme throughout the games.
All the speakers in this evening’s debate touched on human rights in one way or another. Patricia Ferguson spoke incredibly eloquently about the challenges that face women and young girls in the Commonwealth. The First Minister, who was the Deputy First Minister during the Commonwealth games, held an event to bring together 70 women from across the spectrum—politics, academia, business and civic society—to discuss some of the human rights challenges for women. Other members spoke about the Scottish Government’s and this Parliament’s commitment to challenging those issues.
During the Commonwealth games, I hosted a trade and aid conference to show how important aid is. Indeed, we are big supporters of giving overseas aid to Commonwealth countries, as is the United Kingdom. On that note, I am pleased that, just yesterday, a bill passed through the House of Commons, through the hard work and effort of Michael Moore, Tavish Scott’s colleague, to enshrine in legislation the UK Government’s commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of gross national income on overseas aid.
We believe in the importance of aid, but we also realise that the best way for the Commonwealth to grow and develop is through equitable trade. We are big supporters of that.
Human rights were a central theme of the Commonwealth games. A great example of that was pride house, which was set up in the centre of Glasgow. It promoted lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex rights domestically and right the way through to some more challenging areas in the Commonwealth. I was one of the 6,000 people who visited it.
We hope to advance human rights through the relationships that we have built up through the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Government and the Commonwealth games. Flying the pride flag above Scottish Government buildings is symbolically important but—and I am not looking to take away from that action—the practical actions that we take will be the measure of our success. Tavish Scott and Kenny Gibson touched on the fact that some of the discussions will be difficult. We must be sensitive in how we do it, but we must have those discussions. The Commonwealth provides a safe space in which to do that.
One of the legacies of the games that I am most proud of is that Scotland has been, I hope, marked out for its compassion. I have talked about raising money for UNICEF during the games. On top of that, I am very proud of and pleased about the generous response of the Scottish public to a variety of challenges throughout the Commonwealth. I am thinking of the Ebola crisis, for which the Scottish Government has donated £1 million-worth of assistance, while the UK Government has been generous, too. I am also thinking of the floods in Malawi, an issue that was first raised in the chamber by Patricia Ferguson. The Scottish Government was quick to act, and I heard from Monica Dzonzi earlier about how well that assistance had been received in Malawi. In addition, I am thinking about the scholarships that we provide for women and young girls in Pakistan. Last week, I was proud to announce an additional year’s funding for that. I note that 53 per cent of the scholarships that we give to Pakistan are to young girls, and 80 per cent of those go to families who earn less than £60 a month. We also have a small grants programme; a couple of weeks ago, I announced funding for projects in Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, India and Pakistan.
I hope that we can continue to promote that legacy, whether as MSPs on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association or as the Government. However, our young Commonwealth will define us—how we grow together and continue to show compassion to the most vulnerable throughout our Commonwealth and the world. I hope that the young generation—I include myself in that bracket for the next 26 days—will progress that with the guidance of those who are older and who have helped to bring us to this point.
I thank the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for sponsoring the motion. I wish it continued success. I hope that everyone enjoys the evening reception.
I thank you all for taking part in this important debate.
Meeting closed at 17:48.Previous
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