Our policy projects
Putting human rights into other laws and policies
Too often laws and policies are made without reference to our human rights. Yet our Human Rights Act requires all laws and policies to be applied in a way that upholds our human rights (read more about this).
At BIHR, our practical programmes reveal areas of everyday life where national laws and policies need improvements to make them more human rights-respecting. We use this experience to inform our policy work, focusing on how we can mainstream human rights into the analysis of problems and the development of solutions that support people's rights.
By securing more rights-respecting laws and policies in the first place, rather than having to wait until things go wrong to apply human rights, we help contribute to the culture of respect for human rights at the heart of our organisational purpose.
Our recent work
Putting human rights at the heart of national law and policy development
Mental Health Bill 2024-25
Read about our work on the Mental Health Bill 2024-25, including our human rights explainers, our briefings on amendments to the Bill and our work to amplify lived experience voices.
Mental Health Bill 2024-25
Read about our work on the Mental Health Bill 2024-25, including our human rights explainers, our briefings on amendments to the Bill and our work to amplify lived experience voices.
Rule of Law Inquiry
We submitted evidence to the Constitution Committee's inquiry, highlighting the ways the Human Rights Act can and does strengthen the rule of law in the UK.
Rule of Law Inquiry
We submitted evidence to the Constitution Committee's inquiry, highlighting the ways the Human Rights Act can and does strengthen the rule of law in the UK.
Asylum Accommodation Inquiry
Read our response to the Home Affairs Committee's inquiry on asylum accommodation, drawing on our work with community groups in the asylum sector.
Asylum Accommodation Inquiry
Read our response to the Home Affairs Committee's inquiry on asylum accommodation, drawing on our work with community groups in the asylum sector.
Proposed changes to reporting on restraint in mental health units
Read our response to the Department of Health and Social Care's consultation on changing regulations to introduce a requirement to report on use of restraint in mental health units within 72 hours.
Proposed changes to reporting on restraint in mental health units
Read our response to the Department of Health and Social Care's consultation on changing regulations to introduce a requirement to report on use of restraint in mental health units within 72 hours.
Do Not Resuscitate Notices & People with Learning Disabilities
Read about our research into Do Not Resuscitate notices and the experiences of people with learning disabilities, commissioned by the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman.
Do Not Resuscitate Notices & People with Learning Disabilities
Read about our research into Do Not Resuscitate notices and the experiences of people with learning disabilities, commissioned by the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman.
Challenging discriminatory Do Not Resuscitate decisions
Find out more about BIHR's experience informed research and policy work challenging the discriminatory use of do no resuscitate orders.
Challenging discriminatory Do Not Resuscitate decisions
Find out more about BIHR's experience informed research and policy work challenging the discriminatory use of do no resuscitate orders.
Visiting in care homes, hospitals and hospices
Read our response to the Department of Health and Social Care's consultation on changing regulations on visiting rights in hospitals, care homes and hospices.
Visiting in care homes, hospitals and hospices
Read our response to the Department of Health and Social Care's consultation on changing regulations on visiting rights in hospitals, care homes and hospices.
Human Rights in Action: The importance of visitors for residents and patients
Read about the importance of visitors for residents and patients and the human rights duties on health and care providers to support visitation.
Human Rights in Action: The importance of visitors for residents and patients
Read about the importance of visitors for residents and patients and the human rights duties on health and care providers to support visitation.
Changing Mental Health Law
Our experience informed research with people involved in accessing or delivering mental health services underpins our policy work on the new draft Mental Health Act.
Changing Mental Health Law
Our experience informed research with people involved in accessing or delivering mental health services underpins our policy work on the new draft Mental Health Act.
Related topics
Read more about human rights and our work in this area.
The Independent Commission on UK Public Health Emergency Powers
Read the report on UK governments’ reactions to Covid-19, featuring evidence from our CEO on the human rights impact of new laws and the way they were implemented.
The Independent Commission on UK Public Health Emergency Powers
Read the report on UK governments’ reactions to Covid-19, featuring evidence from our CEO on the human rights impact of new laws and the way they were implemented.
People with learning disabilities call for urgent changes to resuscitation decisions
Read about our report on people with learning disabilities' experiences of DNARs, commissioned by England's Health Ombudsman as part of its review of end-of-life care.
People with learning disabilities call for urgent changes to resuscitation decisions
Read about our report on people with learning disabilities' experiences of DNARs, commissioned by England's Health Ombudsman as part of its review of end-of-life care.
Our CEO's statement on the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act becoming law
"The path of carving out exceptions to human rights protections here in the UK is nothing to celebrate, and has a destination which should scare us all."
Our CEO's statement on the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act becoming law
"The path of carving out exceptions to human rights protections here in the UK is nothing to celebrate, and has a destination which should scare us all."
Our CEO's statement on the Rights Removal Bill being stopped
Read our CEO's statement following the announcement from Justice Secretary Alex Chalk that the UK Government will not proceed with the Rights Removal Bill.
Our CEO's statement on the Rights Removal Bill being stopped
Read our CEO's statement following the announcement from Justice Secretary Alex Chalk that the UK Government will not proceed with the Rights Removal Bill.
Our Open Letter to the Prime Minister
Find out about the joint letter co-ordinated by BIHR for Human Rights Day 2023 and hear from CEO Sanchita.
Our Open Letter to the Prime Minister
Find out about the joint letter co-ordinated by BIHR for Human Rights Day 2023 and hear from CEO Sanchita.
National Advocacy Awards 2023
We're thrilled to have won the Best Supporter Award for 2023, having been nominated by three community groups we've worked with.
National Advocacy Awards 2023
We're thrilled to have won the Best Supporter Award for 2023, having been nominated by three community groups we've worked with.
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