‘Today marks 6 years since the UN Human Rights Council adopted the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. To celebrate, we are looking at three fantastic things the UK has done to ensure that businesses respect human rights, and two areas where it could vastly improve.’
Rightsinfo, 16th June 2017
Source: rightsinfo.org
‘A United Nations committee has asked the UK to suspend work on the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Somerset because of the government’s failure to consult with European countries over the project.’
The Guardian, 20th March 2017
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘British prisons are holding child inmates in solitary confinement in an alleged breach of UN torture rules and British law, The Independent has found. Lawyers in one case have launched legal action against the Government in the High Court.’
The Independent, 21st February 2017
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Fugitives from British justice cannot use Northern Cyprus to dodge punishment for their crimes, High Court judges have ruled in a landmark decision.’
Daily Telegraph, 3rd February 2017
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘Corporations are now widely seen as having responsibilities in regard to human rights abuses. This was thrown starkly onto the front pages recently when a number of high profile UK companies, including M&S and Asos, were caught up in allegations of child refugees from Syria working in very poor conditions for clothing suppliers based in Turkey. They are just one of many instances around the world where corporations have been shown to be involved in human rights abuses.’
OUP Blog, 19th December 2016
Source: www.blog.oup.com
‘World leaders called for the decriminalization of drugs on Monday, in a report released by a commission that includes the former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan and former presidents of Colombia, Mexico and Brazil.’
The Guardian, 21st November 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘The UK government’s welfare reform policy has resulted in systematic violations of the human rights of disabled persons, according to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.’
RightsInfo, 14th November 2016
Source: www.rightsinfo.org
‘UK welfare reforms have led to “grave and systematic violations” of disabled people’s rights, a UN inquiry has said.’
BBC News, 7th November 2016
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The UK has failed to meet many human rights recommendations made by the United Nations and should do more to prevent prison overcrowding, tackle hate crimes and restrict stop and search powers, a coalition of 175 civil society organisations claims.’
The Guardian, 22nd September 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘On 3 September 2016, the European Convention on Human Rights celebrates 63 years since coming into effect. To mark the anniversary, we are taking a look at the Convention and other powerful documents which protect our rights. How do they work and which, if any, is the most important?’
RightsInfo, 31st August 2016
Source: www.rightsinfo.org
‘By acting in defiance of the UN charter, as I warned when I was a Foreign Office lawyer in 2003, we put our reputation at risk. So it has proved.’
The Guardian, 7th July 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘More than 7 years after Gordon Brown first announced that a public Inquiry would be conducted to identify lessons that could be learned from the Iraq conflict, the Chilcot report was finally published on7 July 2016. However, it was worth the wait. This post does not seek to summarise the report: there are many other good overviews (such as the BBC’s ). The report’s executive summary, in particular the key findings section, is also well worth a read. The intention is to cover in this and subsequent posts some of the key legal issues raised by the report. This post considers the relevance of the Chilcot report’s findings to the broader issue of whether Britain’s intervention in Iraq was legal – an issue which was not itself within the remit of the inquiry.’
UK Human Rights Blog, 7th July 2016
Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘The British Government’s austerity policies are a breach of international human rights, a new report by the UN has warned.’
The Independent, 29th June 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The Chilcot report, when published next month, will surely criticise some of those responsible for launching the Iraq war on 20 March 2003 and for the suffering and damage which it caused. Lawyers are certainly already mulling over the prospect of litigation, criminal as well as civil.’
Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 27th June 2016
Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk
‘This Thursday, it will be five years since the United Nations Human Rights Council first adopted the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This post argues that while the UK has demonstrated its commitment to these principles and the protection of human rights in business, there is still room for improvement.’
RightsInfo, 13th June 2016
Source: www.rightsinfo.org
‘The new contract ministers plan to force on NHS junior doctors discriminates against female medics and is potentially illegal, Britain’s equality watchdog has told the government.’
The Guardian, 28th April 2016
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
‘According to Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Trade Union Bill currently before Parliament is “not a ban on strike action. This is about ensuring that our rules are modern and right and fit for today’s workplace”. As the Bill progresses through the House of Lords, Mr Javid’s rosy view has been challenged by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the UN supervisory body responsible for scrutiny of compliance with international labour standards.’
OUP Blog, 5th April 2016
Source: http://blog.oup.com
‘Julian Assange must be freed from “arbitrary detention” by the UK and Sweden, the United Nations has ruled.’
The Independent, 5th February 2016
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Hani al-Sibai has been on a terror sanctions list since 2005 and resisted deportation to his native Egypt for almost 20 years – but the High Court has ruled his family should be given UK citizenship.’
Daily Telegraph, 5th December 2015
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
‘The UN special rapporteur on torture has accused David Cameron of a “cold-hearted ” approach to the migration crisis, warning that plans to scrap the Human Rights Act risk subverting international obligations designed to protect people fleeing persecution.’
The Guardian, 3rd October 2015
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
© Inner Temple Library 2017