On 4 May 2017 the UK’s human rights record will be examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. The UK’s overall human rights record was last reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2012, which resulted in 132 recommendations for improvement.
The Women and Equalities Committee published the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 5 in the UK report in March 2017.
The Parliament’s Education Service launched a March 2017 series of lesson plans that look at equality laws and change over time.
The Joint Committee for Human Rights released the report Human Rights and Business 2017: Promoting responsibility and ensuring accountability in April 2017. The Committee called for stronger legislation, stronger enforcement, and clearer routes to justice.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission published a review into disability inequality in Britain in April 2017. The report concluded that disabled people were still treated as second-class citizens, and that the road to disability equality was “littered with missed opportunities and failures.”
The government published a white paper on Brexit legislation in March 2017. The paper covered 12 key themes, including trade, immigration, expats and devolution.
The Ministry of Justice published a national report on the UK’s third Universal Periodic Review in March 2017, in advance of dialogue with the United Nations in May 2017. The report stated: “The UK is committed to maintaining its strong global role in relation to human rights & continues to comply with international human rights obligations.”
The Human Rights Consortium Scotland published a collection of Scottish civil society perspectives on the potential impact of Brexit in March 2017.
The House of Commons Library published a briefing on the UK’s Universal Periodic Review by the UN Human Rights Council in March 2017. The briefing provided a summary of the UPR and an overview of the review process, including our Government’s response.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission published a five-point plan for equality and human rights after Brexit in March 2017. The Commission encouraged all political parties to pursue five priorities to protect and promote equality and human rights in the UK.
