News

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Condemned by Supreme Court of India

2 November 2012 

The Supreme Court of India has held that some state governments need to do more to adequately protect women from sexual harassment in the workplace. In a judgment dated 19 October 2012, which strongly emphasises India’s Constitutional commitment to gender equality and a “guarantee against sexual harassment to women”, the Court has sought to ensure that women’s rights to a dignified life, equality and practice of any profession are protected. 

ERT Issues Emergency Report and Writes to Myanmar President on Violence in Rakhine State

London, 2 November 2012 The Rohingya of Myanmar have been subject to systematic, state sponsored attacks in Rakhine State, Myanmar, since June this year. The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) has been monitoring the situation and making recommendations since the outset of the violence. 

Malaysian High Court Upholds a Ban on Cross-dressing

London, 26 October 2012

The Equal Rights Trust (ERT) is disappointed to learn that the Malaysian High Court has rejected a request that a Syariah (Shari’a) Law in one of the Malaysian states which bans Muslim men from cross-dressing be declared unconstitutional. The High Court rejected arguments submitted by four transsexuals that the law breaches a number of their fundamental rights including the rights to non-discrimination, freedom of expression and human dignity.

Solitary Confinement of Homosexual Found to be Discriminatory
London, 25 October 2012
 
On 9 October 2012, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) published its first ruling of a breach of Article 3 in relation to discriminatory treatment on the ground of sexual orientation. In its judgment in the case X v Turkey it ruled that detaining a homosexual man in solitary confinement with no social interaction as a result of his request to be separated from people harassing him because of his sexual orientation constituted discriminatory inhuman and degrading treatment. 

The Equal Rights Review Call for Papers
London, 25 October 2012 
 
The Equal Rights Trust invites original unpublished articles for the future issues of The Equal Rights Review. We welcome contributions on all aspects of equality law, policy or practice. We encourage articles that examine equality in respect to cross-cutting issues. We also encourage articles that examine equality law policy or practice from international, regional and national perspectives. 
 
Failure to Investigate Torture of Political Opposition Activist Found to be Discriminatory
London, 15 October 2012 
 
On 2 October 2012, the Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (the Court/ ECtHR) published its judgment in the case of Virabyan v Armenia, the first case in which a failure to investigate the potential political motivations for torture in custody has been found to be a breach of Article 14 together with the procedural element of Article 3. 

European Court of Human Rights rules police failure to adequately investigate Roma killings was a discriminatory breach of the right to life

London, 4 October 2012

In the latest case to add to a line of jurisprudence on police failures to investigate discriminatory abuse suffered by Roma communities, on 20 September 2012 the Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) delivered its judgment in the case of Fedorchenko and Lozenko v Ukraine. The case had been brought by two members of a Romani family whose house had been set on fire in an arson attack in 2001, killing five family members. 

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.

New Issue of the Equal Rights Review Published by ERT
London, 3 September 2012
 
Today, The Equal Rights Trust published Volume Nine of The Equal Rights Review (ERR), an interdisciplinary biannual journal intended as a forum for the exchange of legal, philosophical, sociological and other ideas and practical insights for those who are promoting equality.
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.

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