Quakers join national call for UK leaders to defend human rights
Quakers in Britain has joined over 180 organisations in urging the government to strengthen human rights protections as the UK marks Human Rights Day.
The call comes amid growing concern that hard-won legal safeguards could be weakened at a time of social and political uncertainty.
In a letter to the Prime Minister and party leaders, MIND, Asylum Aid, the Humanists and others mark the 75th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights and the 25th anniversary of the UK's Human Rights Act.
They stress that human rights are not abstract ideals, but practical protections that ensure dignity in care, fairness in housing, protection in education and justice when things go wrong.
And they warn: “Human rights protections need to be matched by strong political leadership and a clear commitment to put them into practice.
“The law provides the framework, but it is through the actions and choices of those in power that these protections become real in people's lives."
“Our commitment to seeing the 'light in everyone' compels us to defend the rights of all, especially when they are most under threat," said Paul Parker, recording clerk for Quakers in Britain.
“Human rights law gives form to the values we hold at the heart of our faith: dignity, fairness, and accountability."
The letter calls on political leaders to:
- Publicly reaffirm the UK's commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention, and the Human Rights Act
- Reject any proposals that could weaken these frameworks
- Invest in ensuring that people can understand and exercise their rights in daily life
- Lead with clarity and courage, being clear that human rights are not partisan, but the shared foundation of our democracy.
As the country faces uncertainty and division, civil society leaders warn that human rights matter most when they are hardest to defend.
The letter concludes: “We can choose to step forward together in support of universal human rights, confident in the values that have long defined us, and hopeful about the society we can build."