Report to the UN Convention Against Torture: military personnel must be held accountable for crimes committed overseas

In our follow up report to the United Nations Committee Against Torture (CAT), we are calling for the UK Government to withdraw plans that could make it more difficult to hold UK military personnel to account for crimes (including torture and ill-treatment) committed overseas. We are concerned that the Overseas Operations Bill, introduced by the Government in March 2020, would create a time limit for claims of torture or ill-treatment. This is widely recognised as being incompatible with international human rights standards.

In June 2019 CAT specifically recommended that the UK should not introduce legislation which would grant amnesty or pardon for UK personnel where torture is concerned. We are pressing the Government to withdraw proposals that would prevent a criminal case being brought against members of the UK forces after five years, without special consent from the Attorney General.

Our submission to CAT specifically focuses on the accountability for any torture and ill-treatment committed by UK personnel in Iraq from 2003 to 2009. It also includes recommendations that, if implemented, would see the UK strengthen its commitment to the international human rights framework and the Convention against Torture.

Our full report, including recommendations, has been submitted to CAT as part of the sixth periodic report of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

Research reveals positive attitudes to transgender people

Research commissioned by us and carried out last year as part of NatCen’s British Social Attitudes survey has shown that the majority of the public view transphobia as wrong and believe that they are not personally prejudiced towards transgender people.

Over three quarters (76%) of people surveyed believed prejudice against transgender people was always or mostly wrong. Over 80% of people also believed they were not prejudiced against transgender people. The vast majority of respondents believed that trans people are suitable for roles with a high level of public responsibility, such as police officers and school teachers.

However, the research also demonstrates a more nuanced debate when it comes to specific circumstances, such as accessing 'single sex' services including women’s refuges and the use of public toilets. Whilst a majority of respondents agreed that they were comfortable with trans women having access to these spaces, the percentage of those who were comfortable or very comfortable with this had fallen in the three years since a similar survey was last carried out. 

Our position on Gender Recognition Act reform

Our Chief Executive Rebecca Hilsenrath writes that we must build an environment where the issues raised by GRA reform can be freely discussed, in an atmosphere of tolerance, dignity and respect, whilst reiterating the Commission's position on Gender Recognition Act reform. In her blog she also calls for changes to the requirement for spousal consent on the continuation of the legal relationship when a trans person is seeking a Gender Recognition Certificate in England and Wales. 

Sainsbury's takes action to eliminate harassment

Leading supermarket Sainsbury's has signed a legally binding agreement with us to take concerted action to prevent harassment in its workplaces. This follows an employment tribunal case taken by a member of its staff, where the supermarket was found liable for sexual harassment.

Whilst we recognised that the household name had made improvements to its understanding, policies, practices and procedures since the judgement, we reached the view that further progress could be made and, as an alternative to an investigation, suggested an agreement. Sainsbury's willingly agreed to work with us to ensure that similar incidents cannot happen again in future.

The supermarket has now signed a Section 23 agreement (under the Equality Act 2006) which requires it to take all reasonable steps to prevent its employees from committing harassment, including:

• Preparing a discrimination guide for line managers and employees
• Advising staff on how to deal with harassment through internal communications
• Establishing more effective mandatory training for its workforce
• Providing regular reports to us on its progress

The agreement will last for eighteen months from this summer.

DWP to improve service access for disabled customers

Following complaints that they did not provide interpreters for deaf customers accessing their services by telephone, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) have come to a legally binding agreement with us to improve their service to disabled clients.

Through our helpline for advisers, a complaint was raised on behalf of four hearing-impaired people who had faced difficulties in dealing with staff from DWP and Serco who didn’t know how to arrange sign language interpretation. 

DWP have now committed to an action plan to address the problems and to improve access to its services for disabled customers. 

This agreement commits DWP to: 

• Providing a Video Relay Service (VRS) across telephony services for all benefits and services. 
• Ensuring customers can easily locate what they need in order to request information in alternative accessible formats.
• Improving their customer information system so disabled people’s communication needs are recorded and shared.
• Improving the use of Equality Analysis in the design and delivery of all changes.

We will monitor DWP’s action plan on a monthly basis. 

Help us improve the guidance we provide to organisations in England subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty

Do you work in the public sector in England? We are asking colleagues from organisations in England which are bound by the Public Sector Equality Duty to provide us with some feedback to inform the guidance and resources we provide. Please take five minutes to complete this short survey to inform our plans. 

Last chance to book: Ensuring your coronavirus response is inclusive of all – how the Public Sector Equality Duty can inform your actions

Join our free webinar on Wednesday 2 September to hear from representatives from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Care Quality Commission and Devon County Council. This session will explore how duty-bearing organisations in England can use the Public Sector Equality Duty to ensure that they are practically considering and responding to the needs of people with different protected characteristics, both as they respond to the pandemic and in its aftermath.

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