London, 19 October 2009

Today, the Equal Rights Trust (ERT) has called on members of the National Assembly of Mali to ensure that the draft Persons and Family Code is not regressively amended in response to concerns about the extension of equal rights for women.

In a letter to National Assembly President Dioncounda Traoré, ERT says that ‘there is much to be welcomed in the Code’ and expresses its concern that progressive articles will be amended or removed in response to hostile pressure in recent months over the enactment of the Code. However, ERT also identifies three articles in the Code which undermine the principles of equal participation and non-discrimination, and calls for these provisions to be amended before the Code is adopted to avoid putting Mali in breach of its international obligations.

On 30 September 2009, The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) submitted an expert opinion on the proposed amendments to the State Pensions Act to Latvia’s Saeima (Parliament).  The amendments in question are a response to the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the case of Andrejeva v. Latvia (application no. 55707/00, judgment of 18 February 2009).

In the Andrejeva decision the Strasbourg court found that Latvia had discriminated against non-citizens as compared to citizens, in not recognising their employment before 1991 by organisations which had been legally registered in former Soviet republics other than Latvia, as counting towards pensions.

The Equal Rights Trust is pleased to announce the publication of Religion and Healthcare in the European Union: Policy Issues and Trends, a policy research report commissioned by the Network of European Foundations, in the framework of its ‘Religion and Democracy in Europe’ initiative. The report presents an analytical discussion of health policy issues on which religion has an impact.

The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) has called on the Parliament of Sudan to repeal Article 152 of the 1991 Criminal Act because it breaches the country’s human rights obligations.

In a letter sent on 17 September 2009, ERT expressed concern about the discriminatory application of Article 152, which has been used to target women and non-Muslims, and has disproportionately affected both categories of persons. The letter also echoes concerns that whipping, the prescribed punishment for breaching Article 152, constitutes cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment.

London, 13 July 2009 

On 10 July 2009, The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) submitted written comments to Vitalie Pârlog, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova on the Draft Law on Preventing and Combating Discrimination. The Draft Law aims to ensure the enjoyment by all persons in the territory of Moldova to equal rights and equal treatment in political, economic, social and other spheres of life. 

While there are numerous non-discrimination provisions currently in force in Moldova, as well as some judicial interventions to protect from discrimination, the lack of comprehensive anti-discrimination law has been holding back the fight against discrimination. The Draft Law is an attempt to fill this gap.

The Equal Rights Trust – the only international human rights organisation focussed solely on the right to equality – has marked the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall riots by calling on LGBT rights advocates to endorse the unified concept of equality, as expressed in the Declaration of Principles on Equality. Speaking on the eve of the anniversary, Dimitrina Petrova, Executive Director of ERT, said that in countries where LGBT people suffer institutional discrimination, reliance on the integrated concept of equality could point a way forward.

Dr Dimitrina Petrova said:

“40 years after the Stonewall riots, LGBT people in many parts of the world remain subject to discrimination and violence; according to ILGA, homosexuality is a criminal offence in 80 countries.

London, 22 June 2009

On 9 June 2009, the European Court of Human Rights handed down the decision in the case of Opuz v. Turkey (Application no. 33401/02). In its judgment, the Court found that Turkey violated Article 2, Article 3 and Article 14 in conjunction with Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. 

The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (the Committee) adopted General Comment No. 20 on Non-Discrimination in Economic, Social and Cultural Rights at its 42nd session, which took place from 4 – 22 May 2009. The General Comment is the Committee’s interpretation of Article 2(2) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Article 2(2) states:

“The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to guarantee that the rights enunciated in the present Covenant will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”

London, 13 May 2009

The Equal Rights Trust has today joined 129 other NGOs from around the world in calling upon the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to hold a Special Session on the current human rights catastrophe in Sri Lanka, as a matter of urgent concern.

London 12 May 2009

Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe, has endorsed the comprehensive approach to equality adopted in the Declaration of Principles on Equality, as the solution to the ‘major political and ideological challenge’ presented by the world economic crisis.

In his fortnightly ‘Viewpoints’ communiqué, Hammarberg – who has decades of experience promoting human rights across the world – calls the distinction between status-based discrimination and social injustice ‘artificial’, before going on to welcome the Declaration of Principles on Equality for its comprehensive approach to equality.