We believe that everyone in Scotland has a fundamental human right to access justice, it should not just be a privilege for those with adequate funds. We will ensure that the availability of legal aid isn’t a barrier to accessing justice. 

• The right to justice. It is vital that everyone in Scotland is able to access justice as a fundamental human right. Our Green MSPs will work to ensure that geography and means are not barriers to accessing justice, and to enhance Legal Aid. We will support greater use of Alternative Dispute Resolutions mechanisms and Scotland’s full compliance with the Aarhus Convention on rights and access to justice on environmental law.
• Violence against women. Access to justice for for survivors of gender based violence is undermined by a number of key issues. We will work to establish a right to independent legal representation for women who have experienced domestic abuse and rape and sexual assault; remove means testing for Protective Orders; abolish the not proven verdict in Scottish law; and implement medical examination guidelines.
• Children. Green MSPs will support measures to strengthen protection for children from assault, including removal of the defence of ‘reasonable chastisement’.