This guide follows on from the Rights in Recovery Leadership Programme which was co-delivered by BIHR and SRC from 2022 to 2024. This programme aimed to support and empower recovery advocates in Scotland to use human rights in their work. To help others in similar roles to do the same, this guide has been designed for people accessing, or trying to access, recovery services, as well as their loved ones and supporters, to know and speak up for human rights every day.

BIHR is a UK-wide charity working with people, communities, and public bodies to make positive change using human rights. Scottish Recovery Consortium supports, represents and connects recovery across Scotland. They achieve this by working with recovery in all its forms – from grassroots to government, from individuals to international organisations, valuing lived and living experience throughout.

The stories and examples come from legal cases, and from members of recovery organisations that have worked with SRC which have been anonymised. Although the examples are from Scotland, the guide focuses on the Human Rights Act which is a UK law, and so it is intended to have relevance for recovery communities UK-wide