Over 130 groups pledge support for the Human Rights Act following the Queen’s Speech 18 May 2016 As the Government reaffirms its commitment to replacing the Human Rights Act with a new Bill of Rights over 130 groups stand together in their support of the Act by launching the Human Rights Pledge, which reads: “We believe in fundamental human rights and freedoms – shared values that protect every member of the human family and the society we seek to build together.“Human rights underpin our democracy, hold Governments to account and require that everyone’s dignity is equally respected. “We pledge to oppose any government plans to repeal our Human Rights Act – in so doing we stand firm on guaranteeing universal human rights protections for generations to come.” The broad and varied group of signatories include charities supporting children, older people, carers, victims of trafficking and slavery, disabled people and asylum-seekers and refugees, as well as national groups representing psychiatrists, teachers, football supporters and students. Among them are Friends of the Earth, Refuge, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the Muslim Council of Great Britain, the National Union of Students, Quakers in Britain, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the TUC, Carers UK, Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner, the Terrence Higgins Trust, Stonewall, René Cassin, the Down’s Syndrome Association, the Football Supporters’ Federation and UK Families Flight 103 – the group representing families of the UK victims of the Lockerbie bombing. Why this matters The Human Rights Act enshrines fundamental freedoms into UK law and allows the British public to challenge abuse, neglect or mistreatment. Its introduction in 2000 triggered positive changes in legislation and public policy UK-wide, ensuring all authorities treat people with fairness, dignity and respect. Details of the Bill’s content have yet to emerge – but all Government plans published to date suggest the “British Bill of Rights” would diminish rights protections for everyone in the UK and some groups in particular, threatening the very concept of the universality of human rights, and allowing politicians to choose which and whose matter most. The pledge reaffirms that human rights are universal, indivisible and inalienable – not a privilege to be given and rationed by any Government.The pledge has been coordinated by the British Institute of Human Rights, Liberty and Amnesty International UK. If your organisation would like to join the pledge please get in touch: together@bihr.org.uk Commenting on the pledge and the Queen’s Speech, Stephen Bowen, Director of the British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR), said: “Whilst we still await the details, we are saddened the Government is ploughing ahead with plans to scrap our Human Rights Act, the Bill of Rights we already have. Today the British Institute of Human Rights is proud to stand alongside so many who recognise that the hallmark of a genuine bill of rights is its ability to protect everyone when the government doesn’t play by the rules, which the Human Rights Act does very well. We urge the Government to scrap these miserable plans.” Additionally commenting: Bella Sankey, Director of Policy for Liberty, said: “These diverse organisations speak as one in defending the Human Rights Act. They join all the devolved administrations, all major opposition parties, Conservative rebels, anti-apartheid activists and thousands of ordinary people in opposing divisive and discriminatory plans to replace human rights with Government-sanctioned privileges. There is a long struggle ahead, but as the chorus of condemnation grows, how much longer can the Government refuse to listen?” Kate Allen, Amnesty International UK Director, said: “Hillsborough shows how vital the Human Rights Act is to ordinary people when all other avenues of justice fail. We mustn’t let politicians tear up those hard-won protections. Walking away from the Human Rights Act would also threaten to bring down the crucial peace agreement in Northern Ireland. The government should leave the Human Rights Act alone - it’s ours, it’s working, it’s needed.” The list of pledge signatories: Act for the Act Action on Elder Abuse Advice Services Alliance Advice UK Age UK London All Wales People First Amnesty International UK Anti-Slavery International Arcadea Ashiana Network Association of Teachers and Lecturers Asylum Aid Asylum Link Merseyside AVA Project Bail for Immigration Detainees BIHR Bindmans Birthrights British Humanist Association British Institute of Learning Difficulties CAJ Campaign for Freedom of Information Carers UK Centre for Criminal Appeals Centre of European Law and Internationalisation Children's Rights Alliance for England Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative Community Development Cymru CPAG Crucible Centre for Human Rights Research Detention Action Disability Law Service Disability News Service Disabled People Against Cuts Discrimination Law Association Down's Syndrome Association ECPAT UK EMMAUS End Violence Against Women English PEN Equal Rights Trust Fair Trials International Family Rights Group Fawcett Society Freedom from Torture Friends of the Earth Friends, Families and Travellers Garden Court Chambers Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) Grandparents Plus Greenwich Migrant Hub Hackney Migrant Centre Heart n Soul Howard League for Penal Reform Human Rights Watch ILPA Imran Khan and Partners Inclusion London Index on Censorship Inspire Institute of Race Relations Integrate Bristol Judith Trust Just for Kids Law JUST West Yorkshire Justice Kalayaan Latin American Women's Rights Services Law Centres Network Legal Action Group Leigh Day LGBT Consortium Liberty London Voluntary Services Council Mary Ward Legal Centre Medconfidential Medical Justice METRO Charity Migrants' Rights Network Muslim Council of Britain National AIDS Trust National Alliance of Women’s Organisations (NAWO) National Care Forum National Development Team for Inclusion NICEM Northamptonshire Rights and Equality Council NSUN NUS Office of the Older People's Commissioner for Wales Older People's Advocacy Alliance (UK) PALG Pembrokeshire People First Prisoners Advice Service Privacy International Public and Commercial Services Union Quakers in Britain Race on the Agenda Refuge Refugee Council René Cassin Reprieve Rights Watch (UK) Royal College of Psychiatrists Runnymede Trust Safer Wales Safety 4 Sisters Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People Shelter SOAS Student Union St. Martin of Tours HA Statewatch Stonewall Survivors Speak OUT Tai Pawb Tameside Human Rights Watch UK Terrence Higgins Trust The Football Supporters Federation The Traveller Movement Together – Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights Transform Justice True Voice TUC UK Families Flight 103 UNA-UK UNISON UNITE Unlock Democracy Women Asylum Seekers Together Welsh Women’s Aid West Norfolk Disability Information Service West of Scotland Regional Equality Council Wish Women for Refugee Women Women@thewell Women's Aid Women's Resource Centre York Human Rights City Network Young Legal Aid Lawyers