News

Poverty and Rights: Can and Should the Law Promote Socio-Economic Equality?
London, 26 April 2013
 
The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) and University College London Institute for Human Rights (UCL IHR) cordially invite you to a panel discussion entitled “Poverty and Rights: Can and Should the Law Promote Socio-Economic Equality?” on Thursday 6 June 2013. 
 
Time: 18.00 to 19.30 followed by a reception
Place: Faculty of Laws, UCL, Bentham, House, Endsleigh Gardens, London. 
Uruguay, New Zealand and France Become Latest States to Legalise Same-Sex Marriage

London, 25 April 2013

Three states have recently joined the progressive trend towards recognising in law the equal right to marry regardless of sexual orientation. On 10 April 2013, Uruguay became the second country in South America to legalise same-sex marriage, after Argentina. On 18 April 2013 New Zealand became the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to do so. And on 23 April 2013, France became the 14th country to legalise same-sex marriage. In Uruguay and New Zealand new legislation permitting same-sex marriage was passed by an overwhelming majority of parliamentary votes whilst in France the legislation proved extremely divisive, with numerous protests and a closer vote of 331-225.

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). 
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.

New Issue of the Equal Rights Review Published by ERT

London, 27 March 2013

Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 Shelved by Australian Government

London, 26 March 2013

ERT Concerned about Remaining Discrimination in Same Sex Marriage Bill
London, 28 February 2013
 
On 5 February, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 2013 (the Bill) received its Second Reading in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. The Bill opens up access to the institution of marriage to same sex couples through civil ceremonies and allows religious organisations to “opt in” to conducting same sex marriage. In a submission to the Parliamentary Committee (the Committee) considering the Bill, The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) has welcomed the Bill, but called on the Committee to make further improvements.

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.
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.

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