Why should the public sector speak up for the Human Rights Act?

 

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 a public sector organisation or worker you can make important contributions to this debate, helping to dispel the myth that the HRA is a burden in doing your job. BIHR has worked with a range of public services in health and social care, policing, education, and local government so we know that the HRA is valuable to the sector because it provides a practical framework for helping to deliver dignified, fair and responsible public services. Using the HRA helps to ensure that structures, systems and services respect the rights of every individual, anticipate potential gaps affecting the most vulnerable, and explicitly involve the individuals both in planning and decision making, ensuring greater accountability.

 

BIHR will be telling the Commission all of this, but, as someone working in the public sector, you telling the Commission why the HRA is important will be so much more powerful. You can respond as an individual worker (you can be anonymous) or even better your department, agency or organisation can respond.

 

BIHR has been working with and collecting evidence about how the Human Rights Act is a help rather than a hindrance to the public sector. Our work shows that the Human Rights Act helps to:

  •  improve the quality of services , with service-user experiences reflecting the principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy,
  •  services are designed and delivered in a person centred way
  • proactively deliver better practice and be a tool for pioneering good practice in new areas where guidance does not yet exist manage risk in relation to complaints and litigation under the Human Rights Act and equalities legislation
  • improve decision making overall with better reasoned and properly recorded decisions that can be presented to service users and those involved in internal and external scrutiny
  • navigate through uncomfortable or complex issues involving people’s rights effectively and with greater service-user satisfaction
  • ensure a broader range of marginalised and disadvantaged people and groups are involved and considered in the design and delivery of public services
  • deliver more meaningful engagement of service-users and others in the development of policy and practic
  • underpinning work is carried out to meet indicators and duties in other areas such as complying with inspection regimes and equality laws

 

Read about BIHR’s work with primary care trusts to embed human rights in the development and delivery of public services, including in:

  

Often the HRA is presented as being a burden to the public sector, when in fact it can be a helping hand providing a useful framework for the development and delivery of services. Real life examples of public services using the Human Rights Act in these very practical ways is 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. Together we can send a powerful message to the Commission and the Government that the Human Rights Act is important to all of us and we will stand shoulder to shoulder to defend this vital law.

Take action!

 

 

Return to the main page to find out more about why we need to speak up for the Human Rights Act and what you can do to get involved in telling the Government not to undermine this important law and the legal protection of our human rights

 

Posted In: