Anti-human rights rhetoric and post-Brexit equality concerns are posing a serious threat to the UK’s global status as a champion for human rights, the UN has been told.
In a statement to the UN in Geneva last week, David Isaac, Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the government supports only 96 out of 227 (42%) of recommendations made to it by the UN.
Isaac said: ‘Historically, the UK has been a champion of human rights. But that reputation is now under threat, due to the negative tone of debate from some politicians and many parts of the media around the Human Rights Act, and the potential risk to people’s equality and human rights protections when the UK leaves the European Union.
‘We are disappointed by the lack of leadership on human rights across the UK government, and would like to see greater engagement with the Universal Periodic Review process from now on.’
Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC, NLJ columnist and a former chair of the British Institute of Human Rights said: ‘The latest scrutiny by the UN in Geneva revealed numerous failings in the protection of human rights in the UK.
‘The government has compounded these by rejecting most of the UN’s recommendations for improvement,including a commitment to retain the standards laid down in the Human Rights Act, and restrictions on the detention of children to bring the UK into line with its international obligations.’
Bindman said that David Isaac was right to condemn the lack of leadership on human rights across the UK government.
‘We should all feel ashamed that our historic championship of human rights throughout the world is being undermined by politicians careless of fundamental values,’ he said.
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