Human rights treaties
Despite having repeatedly agreed to respect and make real “everyday” rights – economic and social rights needed for lives of “human dignity” – the Government has also repeatedly failed to do so.
Part of what the UK Government agreed to under the many legally binding treaties it made was to make our economic, social and cultural rights real, including through taxation and economic policies, and that this would be an ongoing process of constant improvement.
The evidence from numerous organisations and academics – some of which is included here – and from all around us shows the pain and suffering when these rights are not fulfilled.
“International human rights law requires States to make full use of their “maximum available resources” to ensure the progressive fulfilment of economic and social rights.”
Treaties agreed to by UK Govt
European Convention on Human Rights / Human Rights Act 1998
Rights: civil and political
Ratified by UK: 1953
Status: incorporated into UK law as the Human Rights Act 1998. The act means all UK legislation should be compliant with the Convention and public authorities must act in ways which respect our rights. If this doesn’t happen we can challenge this in British courts. It is under threat. Both the Conservative Party and Reform UK want to leave the Convention and scrap the Act as it is a barrier to things they want to do which are not compatible with human rights.
European Convention on Human Rights – Full Text
Human Rights Act explainer – Equality and Human Rights Commission
International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Rights: economic, social and cultural rights
Ratified by UK: 1976
Status: a legally binding international agreement but cannot currently be enforced as not part of our legal system. The government provide updates to the Committee but have repeatedly failed to do anything about their failures to respect our rights. The media supports them in this.
International Convention on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights – Full Text
Explainer (Just Fair)
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Rights: civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights for children
Ratified by UK: 1991
Status: legally binding on the UK government but not incorporated into the UK legal system which limits powers to enforce. However UK courts are to refer to the UNCRC for cases brought under the Human Rights Act which involve children.
United Nations Convention on Rights of Child – Full Text
Children’s Rights 101 (CRIN)
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Rights: civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights for disabled people
Ratified by UK: 2009
Status: legally binding on the UK government but not incorporated into the UK legal system which limits powers. In 2016 the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities found that “grave or systematic violations” of disabled persons’ rights had taken place because of welfare reforms in the UK since 2010. The government did not agree.
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – Full Text
European Social Charter
Rights: economic and social – the ‘sister’ of the European Convention on Human Rights
Ratified by UK: 1962
Status: legally binding on the UK. Until 2018 we were able to seek remedy within the British judicial system. However, as part of Brexit the Government chose to withdraw from the Charter of Fundamental Rights meaning that we have lost many protections which we took for granted as ones we could rely upon. We do not fully know what the impact of this will be. What was lost includes the ability to enforce some data protection rights, bioethics, children’s rights, environmental protections, workers rights including not to lose a job because of becoming pregnant.
Reports from the Committee show how poorly treated English citizens are compared to other Europeans. The UK government have repeatedly – and across decades – been found by the Committee to have failed us , including on rights to fair pay and to social security and workers’ rights to strike.
European Social Charter – Full Text
Charter of Fundamental Rights (LOST) – Full Text
Analysis from Joint Committee on Human Rights
Legal opinion on behalf of the Equality and Human Rights Commission