Kelly Stuart 10/12/2019 News

British Institute of Human Rights www.bihr.org.uk

“Today is Human Rights Day. On this day we celebrate universal human rights. These freedoms, written down after World War II in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, have been brought home through the UK’s Human Rights Act and European laws.

As this year Human Rights Day coincides with a General Election, our letter has been sent to all party leaders, calling on them to commit to safeguarding universal human rights. It has been signed by over 100 civil society groups.”

The BIHR letter states…

“As we approach the 2019 General Election we ask you to join us in celebrating Human Rights Day by committing to protecting universal human rights in the UK.

Human rights, as universal standards shared across the globe, were laid down 71 years ago in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, inspiring law and positive action across the world. Our very own law, the Human Rights Act, draws on these universal rights, setting legal standards to protect people across the UK whether they are in hospitals or care homes, social services or places of detention, housing or schools.

Whatever the outcome of Thursday’s election, 2020 will be an important year for the UK. Many decisions will need to be made about what sort of country we want to be, going forward, and what relationship people have with those we place in power.

We ask you to stand firm on our hard-won freedoms. We ask you to stand firm on ensuring that our Human Rights Act remains an integral part not just of our constitutional arrangements , but also of people’s everyday lives, enabling us all to live with equal dignity and respect. “

Sanchita Hosali, Director of The British Institute of Human Rights has said: 

With just two days before people go to the polls , BIHR is proud that over 100 groups have joined our open call to political leaders to stand firm on our Human Rights Act. Every person’s human rights matter. We stand united with groups supporting carers, LGBT communities, children, women, older people, people affected by dementia, black and minority ethnic communities, lawyers, refugees, people with learning disabilities, and many more across the UK who are calling on political leaders to champion our law. With big questions facing this country in the coming months, it is vital that each of us is assured that we all able to rely on our legal protections whenever a public official is making a decision about our lives, enabling everyone to be treated with equal dignity.  On this global human rights day, that would be a fitting way to live up to the UK’s legacy of promoting universal human rights not just abroad, but here at home as well.