The Equal Rights Trust provides those at the start of their career in human rights the opportunity to gain essential experience in paid internship and fellowship positions. Through these placements, we are helping to level the playing field so that those not able to support themselves financially can break into the sector and help us to advance equality worldwide. In December 2015 we spoke to our our Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region Research Fellow, Fatima Ahdash on her experience and thoughts on the scheme.
Stories
The Equal Rights Trust provides those at the start of their career in human rights the opportunity to gain essential experience in paid internship and fellowship positions. Through these placements, we are helping to level the playing field so that those not able to support themselves financially can break into the sector and help us advance equality worldwide. In December 2015 we spoke to our Legal Research Intern, Ben Smith on his experience and thoughts on the scheme.
The Equal Rights Trust provides those at the start of their career in human rights the opportunity to gain essential experience in internship and fellowship positions. In December 2015 we spoke to Rupal Shah our former Legal Research Intern to ask her how she has found her experience and what she thinks about the Trust’s internship scheme.Could you explain a bit about yourself and your experience?
As part of its work in Russia, the Equal Rights Trust works with the Russian LGBT Network to support Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) persons through legal and psychological assistance, as well as raising awareness on LGBT rights. The Network supports a number of centres throughout Russia, one of which is situated in Yekaterinburg. In 2014 we spoke to the centre’s coordinator who explained some of their achievements and challenges. Could you describe how the centre was established?
The term intersex describes human beings who have naturally occurring differences of sex anatomy and whose biological sex cannot be classified as clearly male or female. Intersex people are marginalised both in society and in law. Even where their rights are explicitly protected in law, intersex people are often unable to enforce those rights. They suffer from many forms of discrimination in all aspects of life, including their family life.
As part of its project in Guyana, the Equal Rights Trust uncovered widespread evidence of direct and indirect discrimination against people with disabilities, in both law and policy, as well as a multitude of practical barriers to their equal participation in society. In June 2012, we spoke with Leroy Phillips, a broadcaster and Public Relations Officer for Guyana’s blind cricket team, who told us about his childhood and experiences in daily life living with visual impairment.
Vuk Raičević works as Legal Field Assistant with Praxis, who together with the Equal Rights Trust provides legal support to protect vulnerable groups in Serbia. In 2014 Vuk attended an interactive training workshop convened by Equal Rights Trust and Praxis. During the training Vuk joined activists, human rights defenders and lawyers where lectures and break-out sessions focused on advancing equality in Serbia. Specifically, the workshop topics looked at: the key concepts in equality law; the legal and policy framework on equality in Serbia; monitoring and documentation of discrimination; and developing strategic litigation cases on discrimination. Here he describes the value of the workshop and some of the lessons learnt.
In 2014, Pakistan was the second lowest performing country in terms of gender equality in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report. Despite the passing of the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010 and the establishment of a Federal Ombudsman to handle complaints of sexual harassment in the workplace, sexual harassment remains prevalent.
In 2015, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published the findings from a call for evidence on religion or belief in the workplace and service industry. Amongst other things, it explored the direct and personal experiences of employees and found that for many, discrimination on grounds of religion or belief still impacts on their employment.
Women in Kenya are subject to discrimination and disadvantage in all areas of their lives. Levels of gender-based violence and culturally harmful practices are egregiously high, women experience inequality of opportunity and outcomes in relation to education, and women are at greater risk of poverty and landlessness. The Equal Rights Trust works with the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA - Kenya) helping to provide legal assistance to women through local organisations such as Kibera Justice Centre. In May 2014 we spoke with a client of the Centre, Jane Mulanda.
