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© United Kingdom Council for
Access and Equality 2006
Articles
Archived News
5 September 2007
UKCAE endorses the Clarion Awards which take place in London on 28 September, sponsored by Nomensa, the digital agency whose vision is to make the internet more inclusive and accessible.
A unique contribution to both business and society
The Clarion Awards are not-for-profit and recognise best practice in communicating the importance of CSR, sustainable development, social inclusion and ethical debate, whatever the media platform used. As such, they make a unique contribution to both business and society, by identifying the role of the communicator in encouraging an ethical culture, and fostering higher levels of engagement with key social or environmental issues.
The Awards were launched at Parliament in 2003 and received cross party political support. They were endorsed by senior communicators, leading business people and CSR specialists. Initially entries were restricted to corporate media. However, to acknowledge media convergence, in 2005, the Clarion Awards became open to a broader constituency including mainstream film, television, radio and performing arts. This eclectic mix proved to be a great success.
Past winners range from BP, Barclays Bank, and Honda, to the achievements of BBC Two series It’s Not Easy Being Green, Oneword Radio, An Inconvenient Truth, Billy Elliot the Musical and the National Theatre. All are united by their outstanding creativity and their desire to promote positive social or environmental issues.
Visit the Clarion Awards website.
1 August 2007
Two months before the Commission for Equality and Human Rights officially commences work, the Commissions for Racial Equality, Equal Opportunities and Disability Rights reveal much is still to be done on tackling discrimination.
On October 1 the three current separate Commissions, for Racial Equality (CRE), for Equal Opportunities (EOC) and for Disability Rights (DRC), merge to form the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR). In their final months all three Commissions have released statements, reports or plans which indicate much work is still to be done on promoting equality and fighting discrimination. The EOC’s final report “Completing the Revolution” sets out a comprehensive measure of current gender equality in Britain. For the first time it looks not only at pay and power, but also at support for families and access to public services, justice and safety. [EOC link]. The CRE has provided the incoming Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, with a 100 day plan that would indicate his commitment to place an integrated Britain at the heart of his agenda: a key point being to commit to publishing the new Equality legislation as a draft Bill.(read the CRE 100 day plan) The DRC responded to the Government Green Paper, A Framework for Fairness: Proposals for a Single Equality Bill for Great Britain, with concerns over its scope and called for it to be turned into a Draft Bill to ensure proper parliamentary scrutiny.
“The CEHR will take on all of the powers of the existing Commissions as well as new powers to enforce legislation more effectively and promote equality for all. The Commission will champion the diverse communities that make up modern Britain in their struggle against discrimination.
It will also promote awareness and understanding of human rights and encourage good practice by public authorities in meeting their Human Rights Act obligations. New powers to take human rights cases will give a new arrow to the bow of many minorities who suffer discrimination.
The Commission will cover England, Scotland and Wales. In Scotland and Wales there will be statutory committees responsible for the work of the CEHR.”
4 July 2007
Hazel Blears is appointed new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
The Department for Communities and Local Government is responsible for social and economic inclusion within the community and is working alongside the Commission for Equality and Human Rights to promote a fairer society in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity. In June the Department published the Discrimination Law Review: A Framework for Fairness: Proposals for a Single Equality Bill for Great Britain - A consultation paper.
UKCAE has been asked by the Department to form part of the consultative process over the development of this Bill and looks forward to continuing this important development work.
22 June 2007
Law Lords reject care home plea. The Human Rights Act does not apply to private care homes in England and Wales.
The Law Lords have ruled 3-2 in favour of the ruling that the Human Rights Act does not apply to private care homes in England and Wales. This decision came about as the result of an appeal into the case of YL v Birmingham City Council. This 84-year old woman with Alzheimer’s has been threatened with eviction from her private care home. Her lawyers argued this would violate her rights. The Law Lords stated that private care homes do not have the same responsibilities under the Human Rights Act as do local authority homes, even though they may be operating under contract to the local authority.
Organisations such as the British Institute of Human Rights, Help the Aged, Liberty, and the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs all argued strongly for Human Rights to apply and are now asking for the loophole to be closed.
