Human Rights Essays

Essays from leading experts explore themes ranging from mass atrocities around the world to unprecedented levels of homelessness in the UK. This thought-provoking collection is curated by Labour Campaign for Human Rights and Amnesty UK

All states have a duty – regardless of their political, economic, and cultural systems – to promote and protect all rights for everyone, without discrimination.

However, in recent years, universal human rights have faced unprecedented levels of threat and rollback. Here in the UK, we have seen a raft of legislation which has removed fundamental rights protections, often in contradiction to the UK’s obligations under international law. Internationally, we see other governments increasingly acting with impunity, violating international human rights and humanitarian law with no consequence; and undermining the international rules-based system which protects us all.

Human rights protections were born out of the ashes, horror and devastation of World War II to act as a global roadmap to freedom, equality and dignity – protecting the rights of every individual, everywhere. Over the last 75 years they have underpinned many of the positive transformations that the world has seen; from decolonialisation across continents, to the reunification of the European continent after the Cold War, to challenging systems of structural racism in countries right across the world.

Centring human rights provides a clear framework for policy makers who want to change lives and improve public services for the better, in equitable, fair and just ways. The Human Rights Act in the UK, for example, has not only enabled people to claim their rights when things have gone wrong, but has ushered in systems of decision making in our national and local policy making that better respect rights in the first place. In this way, any government designing and delivering its agenda should see human rights principles as key to providing solutions to policy challenges and direction for the best use of precious resources.

That’s why Amnesty International UK is urging our new government to be proud of the role the UK has played over decades in building and respecting global human rights frameworks and laws, but also to recognise that over recent years the UK has squandered its reputation and leadership by inconsistently supporting and practising those principles at home and abroad. We now urge the government to truly prioritise promoting and protecting our rights, because while politics might not be for everyone, human rights are.

As part of this work, we are delighted to partner with the Labour Campaign for Human Rights in this collection of essays to bring together a range of voices and expertise from across society – including rights holders, barristers, teachers, union representatives, NGOs and politicians. Each of these essays provides a unique and compelling perspective on what this government could do to truly champion human rights now and in the future.