HUMAN RIGHTS INFO News Over 160 organisations sign Human Rights Day letter Today, on global Human Rights Day, Chief Executives of 163 organisations across the UK have signed an open letter from the British Institute of Human Rights, published in the Daily Telegraph, calling on “those with power to stand with us to respect human rights laws”. The organisations, which represent people from across the UK including carers, older people, disabled people and children, professional bodies like the British Medical Association and RCN, and local councils and officials such as the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, call on “those with power to reflect on the meaningful, often quiet, ways human rights make a difference for people in their everyday lives”. The letter notes: Today, as the world marks the 66th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - that “Magna Carta for all humanity” - we call on those with power to reflect on the meaningful, often quiet, ways human rights make a difference for people in their everyday lives. From ensuring protection for people receiving care services and victims of crimes to equality for same-sex couples, our Human Rights Act is helping to deliver the promise of the UDHR in Britain; the promise that each person’s equal dignity and worth is respected. The legacy of Magna Carta – which has its 800th anniversary in June - is that the exercise of political power cannot be unrestrained: it must follow the law. We hope that 2015 will be the year that those in power stand with us to respect human rights laws. Stephen Bowen, Director of the British Institute of Human Rights, said: "Human rights are the shared values of the whole human family. Today, as people across the world celebrate the 66th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we should remember this is the inspiration for the European Convention on Human Rights and our own Human Rights Act.” “We hope those with power will see what we see: how our human rights laws are a vital safety net for us all, delivering on the ancient promise of Magna Carta to make sure that even the Government has to play by the rules. As we approach the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, now is the time to champion the legal protection of human rights here at home.” View the letter on the Telegraph website here. The list of signatories is below: Stephen Bowen, Director, British Institute of Human Rights (in alphabetical order by organisation) Gary Fitzgerald, Chief Executive, Action on Elder Abuse Paul Breckell, Chief Executive, Action on Hearing Loss Steve Johnson, Chief Executive, Advice UK Richard Williams, Chair, Age Alliance Wales Jeff Hawkins, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Age Connects Wales Brian Sloan, Chief Executive, Age Scotland Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK Samantha Mauger, Chief Executive, Age UK London Matthew Evans, Director, AIRE Centre Joe Powell, Director, All Wales People First Henry Simmons, Chief Executive, Alzheimer Scotland Kate Allen, Director, Amnesty International UK Federico Moscogiuri, Chief Executive Officer, ARMA Sally Gibson, Artistic Director, Artspace Cinderford Shaminder Ubhi, Director, Ashiana Network Wayne Myslik, Chief Executive, Asylum Aid Ewan Roberts, Manager, Asylum Link Merseyside Donna Covey CBE, Director, AVA (Against Violence and Abuse) Abdul Khan, Chief Executive Officer, BECON Priscilla Nkwenti, Chief Executive, BHA for Equality Ann Chivers, Chief Executive, BILD (British Institute of Learning Disabilities) Elizabeth Prochaska, Co-Chair, Birthrights Asif Afridi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, BRAP Tom Hore, Director, Bristol Mind Bridget Robb, Chief Executive Officer, British Association of Social Workers Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, British Humanist Association Dr Mark Porter, Chair of Council, British Medical Association Heléna Herklots, Chief Executive, Carers UK Judith Wester, Director, CEDAR CIC Prof Katja Ziegler, Director, Centre for European Law and Internationalism Paola Uccellari, Director, Children’s Rights Alliance for England Jim Bowen, Director, Clynfyw Carefarm Jatin Haria, Executive Director, Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights Annemarie Monaghan and Lynn G Blair, Directors, Community Brokerage Network Liz Sayce OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Disability Rights UK Barbara Cohen, Chair, Discrimination Law Association Leigh Daynes, Chief Executive Officer, Doctors of the World Carol Boys, Chief Executive, Down's Syndrome Association Shona Laidlaw, Manager, Dundee Independent Advocacy Support Bharti Patel, Chief Executive Officer, ECPAT UK Arvinda Gohil, Chief Executive, Emmaus UK Sarah Green, Acting Director, End Violence Against Women (EVAW) Jo Glanville, Director, English PEN Amanda Ariss, Chief Executive, Equality and Diversity Forum Jago Russell, Chief Executive, Fair Trials International Steve Miller, Senior Consultant, Faith Based Regeneration Network UK Mustafa Field, Director, Faiths Forum for London Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive, Family Rights Group Julia Bleet, Chair, Free Cakes for Kids Hackney Jonathan Hyams and Andrew Gough, Co-Directors, FRESh Chris Whitwell, Director, Friends, Families and Travellers Bernard Reed, Trustee, Gender Identity Research & Education Society (GIRES) Sam Smethers, Chief Executive, Grandparents Plus Bella Kosamala, Director, Greenwich Migrant Hub Reverend Mike Firbank, Vicar for Church Gresley, Gresley Church Helen Hibberd, Centre Manager, Hackney Migrant Centre Councillor Rob Polhill, Leader of Halton Borough Council , Halton Borough Council Sandie Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Healthwatch Cambridgeshire Emma Craig, Chair, Healthwatch Hackney Rosie Newbigging, Chief Executive Officer, Healthwatch Northamptonshire Cornelius Katona, Medical Director, Helen Bamber Damien Short, Director, Human Rights Consortium, University of London Alison Gerry, Chair, Human Rights Lawyers Association David Mepham, UK Director, Human Rights Watch Simon Hancock, Board Member Equality Champion, Hywel Dda University Health Board Adrian Berry, Chair, Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association Imran Khan, Partner, Imran Khan and Partners Helen Shaw and Deborah Coles, Co-Directors, INQUEST Sara Khan and Kalsoom Bashir, Co-Directors, Inspire Jo Baker, Chief Executive, International Service Habib Rahman, Chief Executive, JCWI Shauneen Lambe, Director, Just for Kids Law Ratna Lachman, Director, JUST West Yorkshire Tatiana Garavito, Director, Latin American Women’s Rights Service Julie Bishop, Director, Law Centres Network Andrew Caplen, President, Law Society Steve Hynes, Director, Legal Action Group (LAG) Jenny Beck and Nicola Mackintosh, Co-Chairs, Legal Aid Practitioners Group Paul Fitzgerald, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Leicester LGBT Centre Sean Humber, Head of Human Rights Department, Leigh Day Paul Martin OBE, Chief Executive, Lesbian and Gay Foundation Jenny Rowlands, Chief Executive, Lewes District Council Paul Roberts, Chief Executive Officer, LGBT Consortium Shami Chakrabarti CBE, Director, Liberty Anna Gaughan, Chief Executive, Life Story Network Eithne Rynne, Chief Executive, London Voluntary Service Council Phillip Watson, Chief Executive, Manor Gardens Welfare Trust Paula Twigg, Director, Mary Ward Legal Centre Dan Squires, Head of Human Rights Department, Matrix Chambers Emma Mlotshwa, Coordinator, Medical Justice Zrinka Bralo, Executive Director, Migrant and Refugee Communities Forum Don Flynn, Director, Migrants Rights Network Paul Farmer, Chief Executive Officer, Mind Deborah Gold, Chief Executive, NAT (National Aids Trust) Annette Lawson OBE, Chair, National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO) Des Kelly OBE, Executive Director, National Care Forum Rob Greig, Chief Executive, National Development Team for Inclusion Jeremy Taylor, Chief Executive, National Voices Gabby Briner, Chief Executive Officer, Network for Change Julia Lyford, Chair, North East Equalities Network Colin Devine, Coordinator, North West Community Network Anjona Roy, Chief Executive, Northamptonshire Rights & Equality Council Patrick Yu, Executive Director, Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities Sarah Yiannollou, Managing Director, NSUN Kath Parson, Chief Executive, Older People's Advocacy Alliance Karen Chandler, Coordinator, Pembrokeshire People First Sally Daghlian OBE, Chief Executive, Praxis Lu Thomas, Chair, Pride Cymru Juliet Lyon CBE, Director, Prison Reform Trust Ross Diamond, Chief Officer, Redbridge Council for Voluntary Services Carla Ferstman, Director, Redress Rita Chadha, Chief Executive Officer, Refugee & Migrant Forum of East London Maurice Wren, Chief Executive, Refugee Council Shauna Leven, Director, Rene Cassin Clare Algar, Executive Director, Reprieve Emma Scott, Director, Rights of Women Michele Lamb, Head of Department of Social Science, Roehampton University Andy Gregg, Chief Executive, ROTA (Race on the Agenda) Professor Cathy Warwick, Chief Executive Officer, Royal College of Midwives Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary, Royal College of Nursing Dr Omar Khan, Director, Runnymede Trust Barbara Natasegra, Chief Executive, Safer Wales Marjorie Wallace CBE, Chief Executive, SANE Robert Sutherland, Convener, SCOLAG Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive, Scope Tam Baillie, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People Jane Gordon, Co-Founder, Sisters for Change Sharon Allen, Chief Executive Officer, Skills for Care Cath Evans, Chief Executive Officer, Slater & Gordon (UK) LLP Daisy Bogg, Co-Chair, Social Perspective Network Briget Robb, General Secretary, Social Workers Union Hannana Siddiqui, Coordinator, Southall Black Sisters Jan Gavin, Chief Executive, Southern Advocacy Services Gil Baldwin MBE, Chief Executive Officer , St Andrew's Healthcare Joy Hibbins, Director, Suicide Crisis Ngoyi Barthelemy Malumba, Managing Director, Tameside Human Rights Watch Dr Rosemary Gillespie, Chief Executive, Terrence Higgins Trust Dr Dimitrina Petrova, Executive Director, The Equal Rights Trust Sarah Rochira, The Older People's Commissioner for Wales Jon Barrick, Chief Executive Officer, The Stroke Association Juliet Harris, Director, Together Scotland Penelope Gibbs, Director, Transform Justice Martin Coyle, Director, True Voice Frances O'Grady, General Secretary, TUC Bridget Warr, Chief Executive Officer, UK Homecare Association Dave Prentis, General Secretary, UNISON Diana Holland, Assistant General Secretary, Unite Natalie Samarasinghe, Executive Director, United Nations Association - UK Alexandra Runswick, Director, Unlock Democracy Mike Sherriff, Chief Executive, Voluntary Action Islington Phil Jarrold, Chief Executive, Wales Council for Voluntary Action Steve Clark, Managing Director, Welsh Tenants Eleri Butler, Chief Executive, Welsh Women’s Aid Jonathon Toye, Co-ordinator, West Norfolk Disability Information Service Joyce Kallevik, Director, Wish Rachel Halford, Director, Women in Prison Vivienne Hayes, Chief Executive Officer, Women’s Resource Centre Polly Neate, Chief Executive Officer, Women's Aid Annie Campbell, Director, Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland Sharon Baxter, Trustee and Chair of the Advocacy Committee, Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance Harkirit Bopari, Coordinator, York City of Human Rights Tom Doyle, Chief Executive, Yorkshire MESMAC Group of Services