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News from the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Monday 15 July 2024 |
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| Welcome to the Equality and Human Rights Commission's latest newsletter.
This edition shares our work since May, as we paused our regular monthly newsletter following the announcement of the General Election. It includes: - Our Strategic Plan 2025-2028
- Participate in our public consultation
- Regulatory action
- Investigation and assessment into the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- Advice and guidance
- Advice note for the higher education sector following the University of Bristol v Abrahart case
- Updating our guidance on sexual harassment in the workplace: Public consultation
- Human rights
- Retaining our ‘A status’ as a National Human Rights Institution
- Attending the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions’ General Assembly
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Our Strategic Plan 2025-2028: Public consultation | | We have launched a public consultation on our upcoming three-year Strategic Plan.
This twelve-week consultation encourages individuals and organisations to share their views on our future direction as Britain’s independent equality and human rights regulator.
We have identified three key areas where we can drive improvements and create long-term change.
These are:
Our actions over the next three years will be guided by the feedback from this consultation, our analysis of data and evidence and by our extensive understanding of the equality and human rights challenges facing people in Britain. Everyone is invited to participate by completing a survey on our website.
The consultation closes on 3 October 2024. | | | Read more about our Strategic Plan 2025 – 2028 consultation | | | Fill in our consultation survey | | | Access alternative formats of our plan: BSL video and Easy Read | |
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Regulatory action | | Investigation and assessment into the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) |
In May we launched an investigation and assessment into the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions over concerns about the treatment of some disabled benefits claimants.
The investigation will focus on whether the DWP has failed to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people with learning disabilities or long-term mental health conditions during health assessment determinations.
Alongside the investigation, we are also assessing the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions' compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) when developing, implementing and monitoring policy guidance relevant to health assessment determinations.
As part of our investigation and assessment, we are asking for stakeholders such as disability charities, as well as whistleblowers who currently or have previously worked for the DWP on health assessments, to share relevant information which they may have with us.
| | | Read about our investigation and assessment and how you can contribute evidence | | | Read the full Terms of Reference for the investigation and assessment | |
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Advice and guidance | | Advice note for the higher education sector following the University of Bristol v Abrahart case |
We have published an advice note for the higher education sector explaining how providers can meet their legal responsibilities around reasonable adjustments for students.
Earlier this year, the High Court ruled that the University of Bristol failed to make reasonable adjustments for Natasha Abrahart, a 20-year-old student who had depression and social anxiety.
As Britain’s equality regulator we stepped in during legal proceedings to offer impartial guidance. The court welcomed our intervention and found that Natasha had experienced direct and indirect discrimination on the grounds of disability. Our advice note outlines what we think compliance with the law looks like in relation to knowledge of and evidence of disability, and where the competence standard exception can be applied. | | | Read our advice note following University of Bristol v Abrahart | | | Read our legal action summary on the University of Bristol v Abrahart | | | Updating our guidance on sexual harassment in the workplace: Public consultation |
We have launched a public consultation on specific new sections of our technical guidance on sexual harassment and harassment at work.
Our guidance will be ready for when the Worker Protection Act 2023 comes into force on 26 October 2024. The Act will introduce a new legal obligation for employers to take reasonable steps to protect their workers from sexual harassment.
Our updated guidance will help employers, workers and their representatives understand the extent and impact of harassment in the workplace, their obligations under the law, and best practice for effective prevention and response.
The consultation closes on 6 August 2024.
| | | Read more about the proposed new sections of our sexual harassment guidance | | | Fill in the consultation survey | |
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Human rights | | Retaining our 'A status' as a National Human Rights Institution |
In May we spoke to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions’ Sub-Committee on Accreditation as part of a Special Review of our ‘A status’ as a national human rights institution.
The SCA confirmed that we remain fully compliant with the ‘Paris Principles’, which provide the benchmark for high-performing, independent national human rights institutions.
We welcome this decision and look forward to continuing to work with all those who help us deliver on our duty to protect and promote human rights. | | | Read our response to retaining our ‘A status’ as a National Human Rights Institution | | | Attending the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions' General Assembly |
Our Chairwoman, Kishwer Falkner, took part in the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions' General Assembly in May, alongside our Commissioner, Su-Mei Thompson, and colleagues from our Strategy team.
They joined more than 80 National Human Rights Institutions in Geneva to discuss our human rights priorities for 2024.
Colleagues attended various events including the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions annual meeting, where they connected with the global NHRI community to continue our work to protect and promote human rights across Britain and the Commonwealth. | | | Read about the outcomes Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions' General Assembly | |
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