Advocacy Statements

ERT Calls for New Development Framework to Include Specific Goal on Equality Law

London, 17 September 2013 
 
The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) today launches Equal Rights at the Heart of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, a position paper calling for the adoption of comprehensive equality legislation to be included as a specific development goal in the framework established to succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

New Russian Law Conflicts with International and European Legal Obligations

The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) shares the deep concern expressed by human rights advocates at the adoption, in Russia, of Federal Law No. 135-ФЗ which was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin on 30 June 2013. In a legal analysis submitted to the Russian State Duma before it was passed, ERT argued that the Law would stigmatise lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons and their relationships, and that it would conflict with Russia’s obligations under international and European law.

Federal Law No. 135-ФЗ (the Law) amends a number of pieces of legislation in Russia: 

Historic Changes to the Human Rights Act Anti-Discrimination Provisions Approved by Bermuda's Senate

3 July 2013

On 19 June 2013, the British overseas territory of Bermuda came one step closer to extending protection from discrimination when its Senate approved all bar one of the significant amendments to the Human Rights Act 1981 (HRA 1981) contained in the proposed Human Rights Amendment Act 2013 (HRAA 2013). 

Seventy Six Civil Society Organisations Call for Greater Protection of Rohingya

London, 24 June 2013
 
Today, the Equal Rights Trust and 75 other civil society organisations issued a joint statement calling for an end to on-going human rights and humanitarian abuses against the stateless Rohingya in Rakhine state of Myanmar. The statement, which is simultaneously being issued by organisations on five continents and sent to the President of Myanmar and Myanmar embassies around the world, is an expression of global civil society solidarity regarding human rights protection of the  Rohingya.

ERT Welcomes Major Advance in Protection from Discrimination in the Americas

London, 20 June 2013
 
On 6 June 2013, the Organization of American States (OAS) adopted two Conventions aimed at eliminating discrimination in its 35 member states. The first Convention seeks to eliminate racism, racial discrimination and related forms of intolerance, while the second addresses discrimination and intolerance on all other grounds. ERT welcomes the adoption of these Conventions as progressive measures which will assist in providing protection from discrimination on a large number of grounds and in many areas of life in countries which ratify the instruments.

UK Government Abandons Attempt to Reduce Mandate of Equality and Human Rights Commission

London, 24 April 2013 
 
The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) welcomes an announcement made yesterday by the UK government that it will not seek to reduce the mandate of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and that it will introduce protection from caste-discrimination into UK law for the first time. ERT was one of a number of organisations which had called for the Commission’s “general duty” to be retained and which had advocated the introduction of protection from discrimination on grounds of caste. ERT argued that both were necessary to ensure conformity with the UK’s obligations under international law.

ERT Opposes Narrower Mandate for Commission and Calls for Prohibition of Caste-based Discrimination

London, 19 April 2013 
 
The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) has today urged members of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom to resist an attempt to narrow the mandate of the Equality and Human Rights Commission by voting for amendments to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill 2012-13 (the Bill). 

ERT's letter calls on members of the House of Lords to insist on amendments to the Bill, which would retain the "general duty" of the Equality and Human Rights Commission provided under section 3 of the Equality Act 2006. ERT has also called on the House of Lords to back amendments introducing protection from caste-based discrimination. 

The UK Takes Decisive Step to Better Protect Stateless Persons

London, 11 April 2013

On 6 April 2013, the UK became the latest country to implement a statelessness determination procedure. Despite there being 77 states that are party to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, and all states having international human rights obligations which extend to stateless persons, less than ten have procedures in place to identify stateless persons in their territory, a first step to protection. ERT therefore welcomes this important development and the underlying commitment of the UK to the protection of stateless persons.

Australian Senate Committee Adopts Key ERT Recommendation on Religious Exceptions

London, 27 February 2013 
 
On 21 February 2013, the Australian Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs (the Committee) published its report on the Draft Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights Bill 2012 (the Draft Bill), marking an important step in Australia’s progress towards enacting comprehensive anti-discrimination law. The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) welcomes this step, and the Committee’s decision to adopt a key ERT recommendation on reducing the scope of religious exemptions.

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