REDP HUMAN RIGHTS SEMINAR: MANSFIELD

At Mansfield Community & Voluntary Service this morning, delivering the third in a series of seminars for the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership (REDP) on the Human Rights Act 1998.

Strictly speaking, the part on the Human Rights Act is delivered by Chino Cabon from The Race Equality Centre (TREC), while I present a Beginners Guide to REDP.

The purpose of these seminars is to help Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations appreciate the relevance of the Human Rights Act 1998 to their mission, to understand its relationship to equality and diversity issues, as well enabling them to take part in the current debate about the UK withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights and replacing it with a new UK Bill of Rights. These topics will feature prominently in REDP's next regional event, in Derby, 22 March.

Gathered in Community House this morning are 8 people, representing  four  VCS organisations and one public authority service provider (spot the out one out):

• Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service
• Disability Derbyshire Coalition for Inclusive Living
• Enable Housing, Care & Support Group
• Peak District Volunteering Advancement
• Rethink

This was a good meeting, a positive experience for (we hope) all who took part. It certainly was for Chino and me, although the fact that we got involved in a crash at the roundabout outside Glenfield Hospital on the outskirts of Leicester rather took the shine off things at the end. Ouch!

REDP HUMAN RIGHTS SEMINAR: OAKHAM

At Voluntary Action Rutland, Oakham, this morning, delivering the second in a series of seminars for the Regional Equality and Divesrity Partnership (REDP) on the Human Rights Act 1998.

Strictly speaking, the part on the Human Rights Act is delivered by Chino Cabon from The Race Equality Centre (TREC), while I present a Beginners Guide to REDP.

The purpose of these seminars is to help Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations appreciate the relevance of the Human Rights Act 1998 to their mission, to understand its relationship to equality and diversity issues, as well enabling them to take part in the current debate about the UK withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rgihts and replacing it with a new UK Bill of Rights. These topics will feature prominently in REDP's next regional event, in Derby, 22 March.

Gathered in The Gower Centre (photo above) this morning are representatives of ten VCS organisations:

• Ann Craft Trust
• British Deaf Association
• CLASP: The Carers Centre
• Diocese of Peterborough
• Fawcett Society
• Leicester Secular Society
• Norton House
• Open Door Leicester
• South Lincolnshire VCS
• St Philip's Centre for Study and Engagement in a Multi-Faith Society

REDP HUMAN RIGHTS SEMINAR: LOUGHBOROUGH

At Voluntary Action Charnwood this morning, delivering the first in a new series of seminars for the Regional Equality and Divesrity Partnership (REDP) on the Human Rights Act 1998.

Strictly speaking, the part on the Human Rights Act is delivered by Chino Cabon from The Race Equality Centre (TREC), while I present a Beginners Guide to REDP.

The purpose of these seminars is to help Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations appreciate the relevance of the Human Rights Act 1998 to their mission and understand its relationship to equality and diversity issues, as well enabling them to take part in the current debate about the UK withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights and replacing it with a new UK Bill of Rights. These topics will feature prominently in REDP's next regional event, in Derby, 22 March.

Gathered in John Storer House (photo above) this morning are ten people, representing seven VCS organisations:

• Adhar Project
• Diversity Hub
• Enable Group
• Headway
• Human Rights & Equalities Charnwood
• Rainbows Children's Hospice
• South Derbyshire CVS

HUMAN RIGHTS MUST ENCOMPASS ALL COMMUNITIES

Suleman Nagdi's First Person column from today's Leicester Mercury:

Human rights must encompass all communities 

Intentions need to be clarified before a UK Bill of Rights is created, says Suleman Nagdi 

The Government is seeking to change our centuries old political tradition by changing our unwritten constitution into a American-style Bill of Rights. Such a proposal has a few creases which need to be ironed out. In a democratic society, justice demands a proper and measured response in strict accordance with rules of law which have been established over time and following centuries of experience and formulation. 

Our laws should afford every citizen trust and confidence in the system. Security is of paramount importance to preserve our rule of law and the fabric of our society. It is also essential to uphold civil liberties regardless of the circumstances and the crime in question, as this is the hallmark of our society. One does not exclude the other, and both are necessary for the future success of Britain. 

A proposed Bill of Rights seeks to rectify some of the perceived shortcomings within the Human Rights Act in order to repeal it. The main "interference" Prime Minister David Cameron wants freedom from is the prohibition on deporting foreign nationals to countries where there is a real risk they will be tortured. 

Numerous UN Conventions and the European Convention have been drafted to create a set of minimum standards by which all human beings can expect to be treated. Their right to life and freedom from torture is a basic and fundamental right which all nations agreed would be protected. We must contextualise a potential UK Bill of Rights within the framework of wider International Human Rights law so that the provisions which were established over six decades ago are not breached. 

A UK Bill of Rights must also tackle the inherent weakness of the Race Relations Act of 1976 which only gives protection to Jews and Sikhs as racial groups while excluding others, including Muslims, Hindus and other faiths from its definition. This policy is wholly inadequate and leaves groups such as British Muslims vulnerable to religious hate crimes, which are on the rise. This policy is even more obtuse in light of the fact that the governmental, media and other sources continuously refer to Muslims as a distinctive community.The rights and welfare of all British citizens, regardless of their beliefs, ethnicity, colour or gender must be considered. 

A Bill of Rights can provide a unifying force in a diverse society, but it will not do so if it ignores the contribution of many countries, and most cultures, to the human rights values recognised throughout the world today and turns its back on the international Human Rights treaties which virtually every modern Bill of Rights is based on. Furthermore, a UK Bill of Rights must be all encompassing applying universally to all four component countries of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales so as to ensure universal consistency.

Suleman Nagdi is spokesman for the Federation of Muslim Organisations.

AWAY DAY WITH NOTTINGHAM INTER FAITH COUNCIL

I'm facilitating an "away day" for members of Nottingham Inter Faith Council. Our host for this occasion is their Treasurer, Richard, whose lovely big garden is the setting for the photo of today's attendees.

Being the sort of meeting that it is, it's no surprise that those attending are from a variety of backgrounds and traditions - but I do like to list these all the same: Bahá'í, Brahma Kumaris, Buddhist, Christian (Anglicans and Roman Catholics), Jewish, Muslim, Quaker, Sikh.

Patricia Stoat, Chair of Nottingham Inter Faith Council (and who represents them on the Core Reference Group of the Regional Equality and Diversity Partnership) poses three questions at the start of the meeting which we return to during the plenary sessions and which form the topics for our buzz groups:

• "Where is the next generation?"
• "What resources might be available to carry on our work in the future?"
• "What is inter faith activity for?"

Of course, it would be improper to go into detail about our discussions here today. Suffice to say, we consider inter faith activity, dialogue and work in the context of the changing landscape of relations with civil authorities and service providers, public and private funders, legislation such as the Equality Act 2010 and the proposed Bill of Rights.

I'm grateful to my friends and colleagues in Nottingham Inter Faith Council for inviting me to join them for the day, to help facilitate their discussions. I hope we'll find reasons to collaborate again.