Why should voluntary & community groups 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 voluntary or community sector group you empower, you are representatives and influencers and you can have an incredibly powerful voice in this debate. Securing and advancing the rights, interests and needs of the people you work with and for is at the heart of your work. Whether you work at local, regional or national levels you are vital to ensuring accountability and positive change with public services and central Government – the very things the HRA is intended to help achieve! For many groups working with and for people experiencing vulnerability, marginalisation and discrimination, the voices and experiences of your stake-holders and service-users may only be heard if you speak up for them. Where individuals can speak out you can help amplify their voice.

Voluntary and community groups work at the coal-face of human rights issues on a daily basis. It is important that the Commission and the Government hear from you exactly why human rights and the HRA are forces for good and why they are valuable to your organisation and the people you represent. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the more “usual” human rights crowd, such as BIHR, Liberty, Justice and Amnesty International UK, we can send a powerful message to the Commission and the Government that the legal protection of human rights is important to all of us.

BIHR has been collecting evidence about how the Human Rights Act has helped groups to

empower people to take control of their lives and bring about change on the ground
help make connections with other groups and community activities
strengthen campaigns and lobbying by re-frame issues to hold public bodies and the government to account
advocating and negotiating on behalf of a community group member
consulting with public authorities on how they can use a human rights in service planning
as a tool to audit or judge local and national services and policies

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 For more information about specific work BIHR has been involved in click below:

Community groups: Read about how various groups are using the Human Rights Act to tackle issues such as carers rights, environmental justice and cuts to disability services

Health and social care groups: Read about our work to raise awareness of human rights among voluntary sector organisations involved in health and social care. We are currently working closely with about 24 organisations - in Birmingham, London and the North-West -to explore ways of using human rights to promote better health and social care.

Anti-poverty groups: Read about our work with a range of London-based groups who have used the Human Rights Act in their advocacy and campaigning work. It shows how using the Human Rights Act in a practical way can empower individuals and communities to advocate for change.

Equalities and social justice organisations: Read real case studies compiled in a report by BIHR and EDF on how equalities organisations are making practical connections between equality issues and the Human Rights Act including to tackle inequality and discrimination not covered by equality law, empowering individuals to advocate for themselves, making campaigns more effective, strengthening the voice of people facing discrimination, improving improve services, addressing potentially competing equality rights, and aiding organisational development.

It is important that the Commission knows that it is not only the “usual” human rights crowd that are concerned about the future of the Human Rights Act. Real life examples of groups using the Human Rights Act, especially outside the courtrooms, show how human rights can be practical and used to deliver better outcomes for organisations and individuals. This 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.