London, 24 January 2008
News
London, 16 January 2008
On 21 December 2007 the Supreme Court of Nepal issued directive orders to the Government of Nepal to end discrimination against people of different sexual orientation or gender identity. The Equal Rights Trust considers the decision of the court - who use the term “teshro Linga” literally translated as “third gender” and commonly understood to represent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and inter-sexed persons – to be a progressive step in recognising the equal rights for those with different sexual orientations and gender identities. The decision is a significant victory for the lobbying efforts of the Blue Diamond Society, a local non-governmental organisation supporting people with different sexual orientation or gender identity.
London, 14 December 2007
Today, The Equal Rights Trust urged Abdullah bin Ahmad Badawi, the Prime Minister of Malaysia , to immediately release from detention P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, R. Kenghadharan, V. Ganabatirau and T. Vasanthakumar; and to ensure that everyone, without distinction of any kind, including ethnic origin and political or other opinion, is effectively protected from arbitrary arrest and charges for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
London, 15 November 2007
In support of the Global Day of Action to protest against the state of emergency in Pakistan, The Equal Rights Trust urged President Musarraf today to order the immediate release of all those arbitrarily arrested and detained, following the introduction of the state of emergency on 3 November 2007, to reinstate dismissed judges, to lift all imposed restrictions on the media and take all other necessary measures to return Pakistan to its constitutional rule.
On November 13, 2007, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights, overturning the Chamber judgment of 7 February 2006, found that the right to non-discrimination guaranteed by Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights had been violated by Czech authorities who had been placing disproportionately high numbers of Romani children in substandard special schools for children with learning disabilities.
Amnesty International and The Equal Rights Trust call on the Slovenian government to withdraw the draft Constitutional Law, presented to parliament on 30 October, which is intended to resolve the status of the “erased” – people unlawfully removed from the registry of permanent residents in 1992.
IN THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
Makuc and Others v. Slovenia (Application No. 26828/06)
WRITTEN COMMENTS OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS TRUST
I. Introduction
1. The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) respectfully submits written comments by permission of the President of the Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (the Court)(1) in accordance with Article 36(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Dear Mr Phillips,
The Equal Rights Trust welcomes the establishment of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights. The need for a central independent and influential organisation to provide guidance and authority on non-discrimination and human rights has long been recognised in Britain.
Equal Rights Trust and International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights: Joint statement to the OSCE 2007 Human Dimension Implementation Meeting
Warsaw, 25 September 2007
Central Asian OSCE participating States fail in protection against discrimination