The Scottish Government has launched a new website to promote the country’s progressive attitude towards equality.
The site – www.onescotland.org – focuses on disability, race and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and inter-sex (LGBTI) people.
SNP ministers say the launch during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow gives the nation a unique opportunity to demonstrate its pride in being a welcoming and inclusive society.
MSPs passed a bill legalising same-sex marriage in February but the practice is illegal in 42 of 53 commonwealth countries.
Entertainer John Barrowman kissed a man at the games’s opening ceremony last week in what was regarded as a thinly veiled reference to the situation.
Shona Robison, cabinet secretary for the Commonwealth Games and equalities, said: “We firmly believe there is no place for prejudice or discrimination and that everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally.
“In the past week we have welcomed nations from across the world to Glasgow to take part in the Commonwealth Games.
“And I am delighted that these games have the biggest ever programme of para-sport events integrated into the Commonwealth schedule.
“This is our opportunity to show that Scotland is a country which celebrates diversity, where equality and human rights are respected and where no-one is singled out for negative, unfair or abusive treatment just because they are different.”
A new survey showed that three-quarters of 1,206 adults asked said they thought Scotland had made great progress towards equality over the past 10 years.
But 89% of people said they believed more work needed to be done to ensure people were treated equally.
Tom French, of gay rights group Equality Network, said; “Scotland’s devolved government and parliament should be proud of the progress they have made towards equality since 1999.
“We welcome this campaign with its strong message that equality is a core value in Scotland.
“There is still a lot more to do, of course, to end discrimination but with this kind of commitment, we would expect progress to continue.”