“Warning bells are sounding that rights women have gained during 42 years of EU Membership could be at risk, and in some instances wiped out.”
This is according to the Deeds Not Words colloquium report (Word), published in January 2018.
The report captures a meeting held in September 2017 at the British Council, to discuss ways to ensure UK women’s rights are not weakened after Brexit.
Speakers and participants recommended the following:
- Include a principle of non-dilution of equality and human rights law in Brexit legislation
- Entrench the Equality Act
- Insist the Government meaningfully implement the public sector equality duty (s. 149 Equality Act 2010) throughout Brexit procedures
- Rule out the use of delegated powers to amend equality and human rights laws
- Retain the protections in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights
- Make provision for the UK courts to be able to consider European Court of Justice case law when doubt arises about the construction or application of any law relating to equality and human rights
- A new entity to fulfill the role formerly carried out by the Women’s National Commission as a valuable two-way conduit between women’s organisations and the Government.
