Human Rights Day 2019 Today is Human Rights Day. On this day we celebrate universal human rights. These freedoms, written down after World War II in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, have been brought home through the UK’s Human Rights Act and European laws. As this year Human Rights Day coincides with a General Election, our letter has been sent to all party leaders, calling on them to commit to safeguarding universal human rights. It has been signed by over 100 civil society groups. Our letter states: "As we approach the 2019 General Election we ask you to join us in celebrating Human Rights Day by committing to protecting universal human rights in the UK. Human rights, as universal standards shared across the globe, were laid down 71 years ago in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, inspiring law and positive action across the world. Our very own law, the Human Rights Act, draws on these universal rights, setting legal standards to protect people across the UK whether they are in hospitals or care homes, social services or places of detention, housing or schools. Whatever the outcome of Thursday’s election, 2020 will be an important year for the UK. Many decisions will need to be made about what sort of country we want to be, going forward, and what relationship people have with those we place in power. We ask you to stand firm on our hard-won freedoms. We ask you to stand firm on ensuring that our Human Rights Act remains an integral part not just of our constitutional arrangements , but also of people’s everyday lives, enabling us all to live with equal dignity and respect. " Sanchita Hosali, Director of The British Institute of Human Rights has said: With just two days before people go to the polls , BIHR is proud that over 100 groups have joined our open call to political leaders to stand firm on our Human Rights Act. Every person’s human rights matter. We stand united with groups supporting carers, LGBT communities, children, women, older people, people affected by dementia, black and minority ethnic communities, lawyers, refugees, people with learning disabilities, and many more across the UK who are calling on political leaders to champion our law. With big questions facing this country in the coming months, it is vital that each of us is assured that we all able to rely on our legal protections whenever a public official is making a decision about our lives, enabling everyone to be treated with equal dignity. On this global human rights day, that would be a fitting way to live up to the UK’s legacy of promoting universal human rights not just abroad, but here at home as well. A full list of signatories are below: Chilli Reid, Executive Director, AdviceUK Justine Hodgkinson, CEO, Advocacy Focus Jeff Hawkins, CEO, Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale Joe Powell, Chief Executive, All Wales People First Sally Copley , Director of Policy, Campaigns and Partnerships, Alzheimer's Society Jim Pearson, Director of Policy and Research, Alzheimer Scotland Allan Hogarth, Head of Advocacy & Programmes, Amnesty International UK Beth Cadger, Policy, Research and Editorial, Article 12 in Scotland Carolyne Willow, Director, Article 39 Ewan Roberts, Centre Manager, Asylum Link Merseyside Donna Covey CBE, Chief Executive, AVA (Against Violence and Abuse) Lorraine Evans, Chief Executive Officer, Bexley Accessible Transport Scheme Priscilla Nkwenti, Chief Executive, BHA for Equality Ruth Allen, CEO, BASW (British Association of Social Workers) Amy Gibbs, Chief Executive, Birthrights Tom Hire, Director, Bristol Mind Ben Higgins, CEO, British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD) Sanchita Hosali, British Institute of Human Rights Maurice Frankel, Director, Campaign for Freedom of Information Helen Walker, Chief Executive ,Carers UK Nic Mainwood, Operations Manager, Centre for Women's Justice Jayne Leeson MBE, CEO, Changing Our Lives Amy Woodhouse, Joint Acting Chief Executive, Children in Scotland Sally Holland, Children’s Commissioner for Wales Louise King, Director, Children’s Rights Alliance for England Prof. Richard Ashcroft, Deputy Dean, City Law School Jim Bowen, Managing Director, Clynfyw Care Farm Jatin Haria, Executive Director, Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights Brian Gormally, Director, Committee on the Administration of Justice Carol Homden, CBE, Chief Executive, Coram Kamran Mallick, Chief Executive, Disability Rights UK Rhian Davies, Chief Executive, Disability Wales Catherine Baker, Senior Campaigns Officer, ECPAT UK Daniel Gorman, Director, English PEN Alex Mik, Campaigns and Networks Director, Fair Trials Jonathan Hyams, Social Secretary, Fairness, Respect, Equality Shropshire (FRESh) Ltd Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive, Family Rights Group Emma Sangster, Coordinator, Forces Watch Sonya Sceats, Chief Executive, Freedom from Torture Sarah Mann, Director , Friends, Families and Travellers Anna Henry, Director, Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children Professor Ian Welsh OBE, Chief Executive, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) Kerry Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Helen Bamber Foundation Nathan Sparling, Chief Executive, HIV Scotland Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, Humanists UK Deborah Coles, Director, INQUEST Helena Kennedy QC, Director, International Bar Association Human Rights Institute Enver Solomon, CEO, Just for Kids Law Andrea Coomber, Director, JUSTICE Gisela Valle, Director, Latin American Women's Rights Service Julie Bishop, Director, Law Centres Network Jordan Smith, Scott Watkin and Wendy Burt, The Representative Body Co Chairs, Learning Disability England Chris Minnoch, CEO, Legal Aid Practitioners Group Paul Martin OBE, Chief Executive, LGBT Foundation Martha Spurrier, Director, Liberty Paula Twigg, Director, Mary Ward Legal Centre Theresa Schleicher, Casework Manager, Medical Justice Sarah Jones, CEO, Mencap Liverpool & Sefton Zrinka Bralo, Chief Executive, Migrants Organise Paul Farmer, Chief Executive, Mind Teresa Jennings, Chief Executive, n|compass Northwest Deborah Gold, Chief Executive, National Aids Trust Zarin Hainsworth, Director, National Alliance of Women's Organisations (NAWO) Zamzam Ibrahim, National President, National Union of Students (NUS) Paul Marshall, CEO, NDTi Karen Ingala Smith, Chief Executive, nia Heléna Herklots CBE, Older People's Commissioner for Wales Peter Dawson, Director, Prison Reform Trust Jo Hickman, Director, Public Law Project Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain Andy Gregg, Chief Executive, Race on the Agenda James Tullet, Chief Executive, RAMFEL (Refugee & Migrant Forum of Essex and London) Sally Bourton, Chair of Trustees, RAY (Refugee Action York) Maurice Wren, Chief Executive, Refugee Council Mia Hasenson-Gross, Executive Director, Rene Cassain Rebecca Vincent, UK Bureau Director, Reporters Without Borders Theo Gavrielides, Director, Restorative Justice for All Dr. Sarah Wishart, Interim CEO/Creative Director, RightsInfo Estelle du Boulay, Director, Rights of Women Yasmine Ahmed, Director, Rights Watch (UK) Omar Khan, Director, Runnymede Trust Eamon P. K. Keane, Convenor, Scottish Legal Action Group Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive, SCVO Anna McEwan, Executive Director of Support & Development, Shared Lives Plus Shoaib M Khan, Partner, SMK Law Solicitors Pragna Patel, Director, Southall Black Sisters Heidi Travis, CEO, Sue Ryder Alicja Zalesinska , Director, Tai Pawb Matthew Evans, Director, The AIRE Centre Frances Crook OBE, CEO, The Howard League for Penal Reform Theo Gavrielides, Founder and Strategic Leader, The IARS International Institute Yvonne MacNamara, CEO, The Traveller Movement Juliet Harris, Director, Together- Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights Cate Tuitt, Tower Hamlets Law Centre Leila Zadeh, Executive Director, UKLGIG Dr Jane Townson, Chief Executive, United Kingdom Homecare Association Jérémie Gilbert, Professor of Human Rights Law, University of Roehampton Alexandra Runswick, Director, Unlock Democracy Eleri Butler, CEO, Welsh Women's Aid Jonathan Toye, Coordinator, West Norfolk Disability information Service (WNDiS) Joyce Kallevik, Director, Wish: A voice for women’s mental health Vivienne Hayes MBE, CEO, Women's Resource Centre Zarin Hainsworth, Director, Widows' Rights International (WRI) Liz Lockey, Coordinator, York Human Rights City Network Tom Doyle, Chief Executive, Yorkshire MESMAC Group of Services Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) James Kenrick, Chief Executive ,Youth Access