At the most basic and important level human rights are about human beings, they are about the basic freedoms and protections that belong to each and every one of us. The Human Rights Act (HRA) sets down in law some of our most fundamental human rights and the ways we can enforce them.
At BIHR we know that very few people know about the Commission's work or about the current consultation, and there is a real danger that their voices will not be part of the debate. It is crucial that all get involved to stand up for the Act and the legal protection of our rights in the UK.
As an individual you can have an incredibly powerful voice in this debate. More often than not we are told that the HRA is of little importance or value to members of the public, but at BIHR we are talking to town halls full of people across the country who think the HRA is a force for good and something of which we should be proud. Many know little about the work of the Commission or the Discussion Paper and are surprised that the Government is considering tampering with the protection of human rights.
BIHR has been collecting people’s real life stories about how the Human Rights Act has helped them to ensure they are treated with equal dignity and respect without having to go to court. For example:
You can find lots of examples of using the Human Rights Act in BIHR’s “The Human Rights Act: Changing Lives” and on www.ourhumanrightsstories.org.uk
Older people are bring human rights to life in their local communities! BIHR and Age UK have been working to empower older people in Hackney, Derby and Derbyshire, and Stockport have been using the Human Rights Act to strengthen local advocacy work on issues like dignity in care, to raise awareness about the issues faced by older LBGT people going into care homes, and campaign to stop the closure of public toilets! As one older woman said “When you mention human rights, it changes the atmosphere. Suddenly you are evoking a set of rights that they are banking on the fact you know nothing about! They take you more seriously.”
Read more about this exciting project!
Real life examples of using the Human Rights Act, especially outside the courtrooms, humanise the issues and are an important source of evidence, often missing from the mainstream debates. It is important that the Commission on a UK Bill of Rights knows about this evidence so they can understand the true value of the Human Rights in people’s everyday lives, and not simply reduce the issues to legalistic and academic debates
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