The Centre for Culture, Sport and Events welcomed the recent publication of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games’ Human Rights Statement, having played a major role in drafting the commitments set out therein. CCSE’s Professor David McGillivray, Dr Callum McCloskey and Zara Grant joined the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Human Rights Working Group last year and worked alongside Commonwealth Sport’s Legacy Manager, Alex Johnston, and Laura Main, Senior Manager for Social Values at the Organising Company (OC), to draft the Statement – twelve years after Glasgow 2014 became the first in Commonwealth Games history to publish a human rights statement.
CCSE’s Professor Gayle McPherson, Professor David McGillivray, Dr Briony Sharp and Dr Callum McCloskey have been working closely with Alex Johnston since early 2025 to shape a meaningful and long-lasting legacy that spans beyond the 2026 Games. This has included work to develop the Story of Change and establish the Legacy Network, with Professor Gayle McPherson also contributing to the Glasgow 2026 EDI Principles which feature within the Human Rights Statement.
Zara Grant is currently undertaking a PhD Studentship with CCSE to critically evaluate the 2026 Games’ contribution to social impact. Her studies have involved working as an embedded researcher within the Glasgow 2026 OC, where she has been able to utilise knowledge gained in previous roles – such as working with UNICEF UK as Child Rights and Sport Specialist – to contribute to the OC’s efforts to embed human rights across this summer’s Games.
The 2026 Human Rights Statement mirrors the key principles set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, setting out the OC’s commitments to respect, promote and report on human rights matters relating to the 2026 Games – as well as the provision of remedy. It highlights that those responsible for implementing the Statement include the OC’s workforce, volunteers, partners, stakeholder, Commonwealth Games Associations, athletes, visitors and spectators.
In the decade since the publication of the Glasgow 2014 Human Rights Statement, Commonwealth Sport has published its own Human Rights Policy (2016) – revised just ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games – and sports mega events across the globe have been seen to make more robust commitments to respecting and promoting human rights throughout their activities.
The 2026 Human Rights Statement sets out to reinforce Commonwealth Sport’s Human Rights Policy Statement and fulfils the OC’s commitments as established by the Host City Agreement with Commonwealth Sport. It has been approved by the OC’s EDI Committee and was officially published on 3rd July 2026.
To read the Glasgow 2026 Human Rights Statement in full, click here.
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