Postcards

Living in poverty doesn't only mean not having enough material things.

Postcard for poverty and human rights.

It can also mean not being able to participate fully in all the things that make us human – like having a say in the community and wider society.

At BIHR we believe that we all lose out when we fail to involve people in decisions that affect them, especially those who are the worst off and who suffer most when their basic rights are ignored. We believe that everyone has a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives and should be able to play a full part in society.

People also need to know what their entitlements are so that they can hold public bodies to account and influence what they do. BIHR works directly with some of the most disadvantaged groups in society, equipping them with human rights knowledge and skills that empower them to make a difference in their own lives and those of others.

Statistic source: Oxfam

Contact us for a full set of 6 postcards (subject to availability).

For a young person leaving care, the outlook can be bleak.

Postcard for young people leaving care and human rights.

As well as qualifications, they might also lack vocational skills, suitable housing and other emotional and practical supports that will help them live as independent adults. And because every person is different, the issues affecting them and the help they need will vary. We should recognise them as unique individuals.

Human rights remind us to look at the whole person in front of us. But they are also a powerful umbrella or compass that can help public policymakers develop policies, plans and budgets that can really impact on deep-seated problems in society.

BIHR is developing a rich evidence base to assist people to use human rights standards and approaches in public policymaking. We also provide expert training and facilitate policy discussions for government bodies, schools and young people's organisations.

Statistic source: Department for Education and Skills

Contact us for a full set of 6 postcards (subject to availability).

Is bad housing a human rights issue? We think so.

Postcard for housing and human rights.

But we realise that not everyone sees human rights in the same way we do. Many people see human rights as abstract, irrelevant to everyday life, and think that the Human Rights Act only protects criminals or terrorists.

At BIHR we believe human rights can have real meaning and be of practical use to everyone, especially those people who are the most marginalised or excluded from society. We've seen human rights used to secure a new home for a woman fleeing a violent partner, a ground floor flat for an older disabled woman, school transport for disabled children, and better standards in care homes.

In consultation with others, we are working to develop and share a fresh, wide-ranging vision of human rights that reclaims their original ambition and breadth. A vision that captures the full range of civil, political, social, economic, cultural and environmental rights and brings home their relevance and value for everyone in the UK.

Statistic source: Shelter

Contact us for a full set of 6 postcards (subject to availability).

What good are human rights to a woman who's being constantly assaulted?

Postcard victims of violence and human rights.

At BIHR we know that human rights are often seen as weighted against the victims of violent crime and in favour of the perpetrators. In fact, through the right to life and other provisions, human rights law explicitly protects every one of us.

We want individuals and organisations to make better use of human rights law and practice to give people protection and remedies following abuse. But more importantly we want to achieve fundamental changes in our society that prevent these horrors from occurring in the first place.

That's why we are launching a national debate to find out what people really think about human rights, and what their priorities are for making them useful and meaningful in people’s lives – particularly when they have nothing else to rely on.

Statistic source: Women's Aid

Contact us for a full set of 6 postcards (subject to availability).

If a society is diverse must it also be divided?

Postcard for racism and human rights.

In spite of the great strides made by equalities legislation and practice, society is seen by many as becoming ever-more prejudiced, intolerant and divided.

At BIHR we want to see a stronger society in which all human beings are equally valued, can participate fully and are treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

In the current climate, we see human rights as a set of guiding principles that we can all accept and use to create a fairer, more tolerant society. Human rights do not give us all the answers, but they are a valuable framework within which decisions can be made and conflicts negotiated.

BIHR advises policymakers on how human rights principles can be used to develop policies that strengthen diverse communities. We work closely with equality organisations, helping them to draw on human rights ideas and practice in order to be even more effective.

Statistic source: Department for Communities and Local Government

Contact us for a full set of 6 postcards (subject to availability).

There's a difference between existing and living.

Postcard for disabilities and human rights

People need more than a roof over their head in order to live a fulfilling, independent life. But public services are not always set up properly to support all of a person's needs.

BIHR wants to see the drive for independent living become a reality – and for everyone to have real choices about the services on offer and the ways in which decisions are made.

We see human rights as a powerful tool for achieving these goals. By putting human rights principles into practice, not only can public bodies improve the services they provide, they can be confident that they are involving people in shaping the services in the first place.

BIHR works with public service providers across the voluntary and public sectors, building their capacity to develop their own ways of making human rights part and parcel of what they do. Our training, consultancy and range of practical tools are developed not just for, but with, organisations and the people they work with, ensuring that they have maximum impact.

Statistic source: John Grooms

 

The production of these postcards has been kindly sponsored by Matrix.

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