Advocacy Statements

ERT Calls on Ukrainian Parliament to Reject Law Prohibiting "Promotion of Homosexuality"

London, 25 February 2013
 
Last week, The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) called upon the Parliament of Ukraine to reject Draft Law 0945 “On the Introduction of Changes to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine (regarding protection of children’s rights in the safe information sphere)”, which, if passed, would discriminate against gays, lesbians and bisexual persons. At the same time, ERT urged European leaders gathering for the EU-Ukraine Summit, starting today, to call for Ukraine to scrap the Draft Law as it starkly contradicts equality values and norms of the European Union.

Government Ministers' U-Turn on Suspension of Arrests of Homosexual Couples

London, 14 November 2012

With tensions in Malawi on the subject of homosexuality persisting, last week Malawi’s Minister for Justice, Ralph Kasambara, denied that laws which criminalise homosexual acts have been suspended. Only days earlier Minister Kasambara had announced that the laws were to be suspended pending a discussion in Parliament on their repeal. His latest announcement has been seen as a u-turn and is largely suspected to be a response to pressure from the Malawi Council of Churches, which strongly opposes the de-criminalisation of homosexual acts. Minister Kasambara’s comments mark another step back for gay rights in Malawi, following President Banda’s statement in October that Malawi is “not ready” to decriminalise homosexual acts.

New Directive on the Rights of Victims of Crime adopted by the European Parliament

London, 26 September 2012

On 12 September 2012, the European Parliament adopted a Directive which establishes minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime in the European Union. The Directive in particular seeks to promote the right to non-discrimination, the principle of equality between men and women, and the rights of persons with disabilities amongst others. As a next step, the European Council has to approve the Directive. After the Directive has been adopted, EU countries (including the UK and Ireland which have decided to opt in to the Directive) will have three years to transpose it into their national laws. This landmark Directive marks an important development in promoting equality and non-discrimination in the field of criminal law.

UN Human Rights Committee Review of Kenya Makes Use of ERT Shadow Report

London, 14 August 2012
 
At its 105th session (9-27 July 2012), the UN Human Rights Committee considered the state report of the Republic of Kenya. The Equal Rights Trust had submitted information to the Committee which urged it to recommend a number of specific legislative and policy actions to increase protection of the rights to equality and non-discrimination. In its Concluding Observations published in late July, the Committee adopted a number of these recommendations. However, it did not take the opportunity to recommend that, in compliance with Articles 2 and 26 of the ICCPR, Kenya adopt comprehensive equality law – a regrettable omission given the work which civil society in Kenya has undertaken to develop and advocate for such a law.

Civil Society Coalition Calls for Protection of Rohingya and End to Violence

London, 18 July 2012
 
On 16 July 2012, a coalition of 58 civil society groups - led by The Equal Rights Trust (ERT), the Arakan Project (AP) and Refugees International (RI) - condemned the abuse and violence carried out by state authorities in Myanmar against the Rohingya community for over one month. What began as inter-communal violence between Rohingya and Rakhine, escalated into large-scale state sponsored violence against the Rohingya, following the deployment of the military. The joint statement also charges Bangladesh with flouting international law in its attempts to prevent fleeing Rohingya from reaching safety, and pushing them back into dangerous waters.

Myanmar and Bangladesh Must Protect Stateless Rohingya

The Equal Rights Trust is deeply concerned by the on-going sectarian and ethnically motivated violence that has resulted in an unknown number of deaths, serious injuries and extensive damage to property in the North Rakhine State in Western Myanmar. The violence between the Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya, a stateless minority described by the UN as one of the world’s most persecuted, has continued for over one week. 

ERT Recommendations on Thailand's Treatment of Rohingya Echoed by State Delegations

At its nineteenth session (27 February to 23 March 2012) the UN Human Rights Council adopted the Working Group Reports for states which had undergone review in the twelfth session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). In 2011, The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) made a stakeholder submission to the review of Thailand, raising concerns about its treatment of stateless Rohingya. The submission recommended that the state review its past actions of arbitrary arrest, detention and pushing back Rohingya into the sea in light of its human rights obligations, rectify past violations, amend its immigration policy, introduce comprehensive equality legislation and ratify relevant international treaties.  

UN Human Rights Council Makes Use of ERT Recommendations on Moldova as New Report on Discriminatory Ill-treatment is Published

London, 26 March 2012 

The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) has continued its efforts, at both the national and international level, to encourage the government of Moldova to implement measures to address discriminatory violence against women and other groups, including through the adoption of comprehensive equality legislation. 

Pages