The launch of the Declaration of Principles on Equality, on 21 October 2008 in London, marked the beginning of a "Vote for Equality" campaign for its universal recognition. The Declaration should become the basis for a new covenant on equality in the 21st Century.
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More than 120 of the world’s leading human rights and equality experts are today calling for the most radical re-think of equal rights in two generations as global economic turmoil holds nations in its grip.
Signatories from 44 nations are urging governments and individuals to back a new declaration – 60 years after the epoch-making Universal Declaration on Human Rights followed in the wake of World War II.
London, 3 September 2008
On 18 August 2008, the Supreme Court of California, in the case of North Coast Women’s Care Medical Care Group, Inc., et al., v. San Diego County Superior Court, S 142892. Ct. App. 4/1 D045438, rejected the argument that the right to religious freedom and free speech, as guaranteed by both federal and state law, exempted a medical clinic’s physicians from complying with the prohibition against discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation set out in the California Unruh Civil Rights Act (the Act).
London, 21 July 2008
On 17 July 2008, the European Court of Justice passed judgment in the case of Coleman v. Attridge Law and Steve Law (Case C-303/06). The judgment interprets the meaning of the prohibition of direct discrimination and harassment in employment and occupation on grounds of disability pursuant to Article 2(2)(a) and Article 2(3) of Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000.
On 10 July 2008, the European Court of Justice handed down the judgment in the case of Centrum voor gelijkheid van kansen en voor racismebestrijding v. Firma Feryn NY (Case C-54/07). The judgment interprets the meaning of direct discrimination based on Article 2 (2) (a) of Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 relating to the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin.
On 27 June 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada handed down the decision in the case of R v Kapp, 2008 SCC 41. The case arose as an appeal against the federal government’s decision to enhance aboriginal involvement in commercial fishery which led to the Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy.
Today the European Commission published a Proposal for a Council Directive to implement the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation. The proposed Council Directive will build upon Council Directive 2000/78/EC (The Employment Equality Directive) and will extend the protection from discrimination for millions of people across the European Union in areas including social security, healthcare, education and access to and supply of goods and services.
London, 11 June 2008
On 4 June 2008, the Constitutional Court of South Africa handed down the decision in the case of Shilubana and Others v Nwamitwa (Case CCT 3/07). The case arose out of a succession dispute, following the death in 2001 of the chief of the Valoyi community in Limpopo. The eldest son of the deceased chief disputed a decision that the Royal Family adopted in December 1996 to end male primogeniture and confer chieftainship to the eldest daughter of the deceased’s brother (and predecessor in title) of the then reigning chief.
London, 6 June 2008
On 5 June 2008, the European Court of Human Rights handed down the judgment in the case of Sampanis and Others v. Greece (application no. 32526/05). Represented by the Greek Helsinki Monitor, 11 Greek nationals of Roma origin claimed discrimination in violation of Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination) in conjunction with Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 (right to education) and of Article 13 (right to an effective remedy) in respect of the treatment of their children by the educational authorities in Aspropyrgos, Greece.
London, 30 May 2008
On the 30th of May 2008 The Equal Rights Trust wrote to Miloslav Vlèek, Chairperson of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament calling on him and other deputies of the Czech Parliament to adopt the Law on Equal Treatment and Legal Measures of Protection from Discrimination and Amendments to Some Laws (the anti-discrimination bill), which is scheduled to be put to the vote during the 3 June 2008 session of the Chamber.
