Policy

BIHR's Policy and Public Affairs work aims to change the face of human rights by contributing to a broader understanding of the value, meaning and scope of human rights for all people in the UK, and particularly the vulnerable.

Our Policy and Public Affairs work focuses on:

• providing a fresh narrative about human rights which show why and how human rights matter for all people in everyday situations
• promoting human rights as an instrumental means of tackling poverty and social exclusion
• defending and strengthening the human rights protection system in the UK, particularly the Human Rights Act

We do this by ensuring a sound evidence-base for our work which draws on the real life experiences of individuals and organisations. We capture this learning through our training and consultancy work with the public and third sector and through our projects which aim to put human rights into practice, including in human rights in education, human rights in healthcare, human rights and poverty, human rights and older people and human rights and the third sector.

This evidence base provides BIHR with a uniquely important "story about human rights" in practice, which allows us to conduct analysis, develop policy recommendations and positions, and communicate these to a broad range of audiences, including policymakers and the media.

Some of BIHR's key activities include:

• Developing policy positions and making submissions to Government and other consultations on relevant human rights and equality policy and legislation
• Producing and disseminating policy reports, briefings and publications
• Holding seminars and events to debate today's key human rights issues
• Seeking to influence key policymakers, parliamentarians and politicians across the political parties to mainstream human rights into their thinking and policies. Where it is strategically relevant we also make submissions to the courts
• Creating, running and participating in policy networks, and running joint activities with and contributing to activities organised by other organisations and agencies.

Please contact Sanchita Hosali, Acting Policy and Public Affairs Manager, for more information about our policy work on shosali@bihr.org.uk or 020 7882 5849.