Major UK Human Rights Review launched

The Equality and Human Rights Commission, a statutory body which monitors UK human rights and equalities protections, has today published a major review of human rights protections in the UK. It provides a timely reminder of the enormous amount of work which public authorities have had to put in since the Human Rights Act came into law to ensure that their everyday activities comply with protections granted by the European Convention on Human Rights.

I took part in a very interesting panel discussion at today’s launch event – the video can be seen here. The review is worth reading. It provides a thorough examination of the effect of the Human Rights Act 1998, 12 years after it came into law. This is timely, given that the operation of the HRA is currently being reviewed by the Commission on a Bill of Rights. It is helpful to have a detailed and thoughtful review to contrast with the often shrill media reporting of the “hated” (The Sun’s preferred prefix) Human Rights Act.

Links to the report’s various sections are below the page break.

• Executive summary (PDF)
• Executive summary (Word)

Chapters

• Foreword (Word)
• Introduction (PDF)
• Article 2: The right to life (PDF)
• Article 3: Freedom from torture and inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment (PDF)
• Article 4: Freedom from slavery and forced labour (PDF)
• Article 5: The right to liberty and security (PDF)
• Article 6: The right to a fair trial (PDF)
• Article 8: The right to respect for private and family life, home and correspondence (PDF)
• Article 9: The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (PDF)
• Article 10: Freedom of expression (PDF)
• Article 11: Freedom of assembly and association (PDF)
• The First Protocol (PDF)
• Conclusion (PDF)
• Contributions (annex) (PDF)

Launch event video, 5 March 2012

 

http://www.ustream.tv/embed/recorded/20902160