Read on Twitter
Here’s a thread breaking down this report.
The two key areas are:
Failures to secure Black people’s human rights
Enforcement of Black people’s human rights
And they cover:
Health
Criminal Justice System
Nationality and immigration
Democracy https://twitter.com/humanrightsctte/status/1326325941203775489
The two key areas are:
Failures to secure Black people’s human rights Enforcement of Black people’s human rights And they cover:
HealthCriminal Justice SystemNationality and immigration Democracy https://twitter.com/humanrightsctte/status/1326325941203775489
Under the failure to secure Black people’s human rights:
Health
Maternal mortality
Covid
Criminal Justice System (CJS)
Over-representation of Black people in CJS
Over-policing of Black community
Deaths in custody
Nationality and immigration
Democracy
Health Maternal mortalityCovid Criminal Justice System (CJS)Over-representation of Black people in CJSOver-policing of Black community Deaths in custody Nationality and immigration Democracy
Under the enforcement of Black people’s human rights:
the role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Equality law
Support for Black-led voluntary sector
Data
the role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission Equality law Support for Black-led voluntary sector Data
The report focuses on Black people specifically.
The people that fall under this category, including mixed-race Black people, are:
Black African
Black Caribbean
Black other
The people that fall under this category, including mixed-race Black people, are:
Black African Black Caribbean Black other
They say they have “not examined in any detail the prejudicial attitudes that are the root causes of racism and failings to protect Black people’s human rights”.
I find this very confusing.
How can you solve the issue if you don’t examine the root causes of prejudice in detail?
I find this very confusing.
How can you solve the issue if you don’t examine the root causes of prejudice in detail?
The report says they look at these fundamental human rights in the report under the ECHR. They are as follows:
Article 2: the right to life
Article 5 the right to liberty
Article 6: the right to a fair trial
Article 8: the right to a family life
Article 2: the right to life Article 5 the right to liberty Article 6: the right to a fair trial Article 8: the right to a family life
All of the above link into:
Article 14: the right to non-discrimination
The UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
The Equality Act 2010
More broadly the equal application of the rule of law
Article 14: the right to non-discrimination The UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) The Equality Act 2010 More broadly the equal application of the rule of law
The next part is on perceptions of human rights in the Black community. The key finding:
Over 75% of Black people in the UK do not feel their human rights are as protected as white people’s.
These human rights areas include:
Education
Employment
Crime
Over 75% of Black people in the UK do not feel their human rights are as protected as white people’s.
These human rights areas include:
Education Employment Crime
Over 82% of women said their human rights were not equally protected vs 69% of men.
This difference was evident in relation to issues covered in the polling, and also arising in the context of views on police and NHS.
Women felt their rights were less protected in all domains.
This difference was evident in relation to issues covered in the polling, and also arising in the context of views on police and NHS.
Women felt their rights were less protected in all domains.
Other key findings:
60% of Black people don’t feel their health is as protected as white people’s by the NHS (78% women and 47% men)
85% of Black people are not confident they are treated in the same way as white people by the police (91% women and 77% men)
60% of Black people don’t feel their health is as protected as white people’s by the NHS (78% women and 47% men) 85% of Black people are not confident they are treated in the same way as white people by the police (91% women and 77% men)
Suggestions by Black people to tackle these issues included:
More Black leaders in decision-making roles
More equal education opportunities for Black people
Non-Black people challenging violations of Black people’s human rights
More Black leaders in decision-making roles More equal education opportunities for Black people Non-Black people challenging violations of Black people’s human rights
Better anti-racism laws, including: Better recording of racist incidents More investigations into racist incidents More charging of those guilty of racist offences More positive Black role models, in areas like: Education Police force Media
On this section it says:
It is inline with other similar surveys
Findings are a “damning indictment of our society”
This issue must be “addressed as a matter of the highest political priority”
The EHRC must run an annual opinion survey on this matter
It is inline with other similar surveys Findings are a “damning indictment of our society” This issue must be “addressed as a matter of the highest political priority” The EHRC must run an annual opinion survey on this matter
Findings need to be heeded by Parliament Issues need to be kept “high” on agendas - not just after Stephen Lawrence or Windrush Scandal Committees commit to diversifying witnesses - focus on ensuring they hear from BAME people on human rights experiences
Select committees should reflect on how they will ensure issues of race and racism are tackled throughout their work & have a regular focus on race equality in their work Parliament should facilitate recruitment of BAME staff into senior roles & report annually on progress
This section highlights the fact that there have been MULTIPLE reports but the findings haven’t been properly implemented - some as far back as 1999.
These reports find structural racial inequalities in state institutions & processes - from the Home Office to Youth Justice.
These reports find structural racial inequalities in state institutions & processes - from the Home Office to Youth Justice.
These include:
The Macpherson Report (1999)
The Angiolini Review (2017)
The McGregor-Smith Review (2017)
The Race Disparity Audit (2017)
The Windrush Lessons Learned Review (2020)
The Macpherson Report (1999) The Angiolini Review (2017) The McGregor-Smith Review (2017) The Race Disparity Audit (2017) The Windrush Lessons Learned Review (2020)
Parliamentary committees have also conducted inquiries and made recommendations within them for Black human rights, including: Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), Home Affairs Committee (HAC), Justice Committee (JC) , and Women and Equalities Committee (WEC).
These are:
These are:
JCHR: Mental health and deaths in prison (2017) Windrush generation detention (2018) The Right to Privacy and Digital Revolution (2019) HAC: The Macpherson Report - Ten Years On (2009) Police diversity (2016)
JC:
Prison population 2019
Prison governance (2019)
WEC:
Enforcing the Equalities Act: the law and the role of EHRC
Report says these recommendations have not been taken up in the past, and where they have it’s been “superficial” without “lasting effect”.
Prison population 2019 Prison governance (2019)WEC:
Enforcing the Equalities Act: the law and the role of EHRCReport says these recommendations have not been taken up in the past, and where they have it’s been “superficial” without “lasting effect”.
Because these lessons are not learned, the lack of representation of a lack people at senior levels remains a serious issue - including key sectors like:
Civil service
Judiciary
Police
Parliament
Civil service Judiciary Police Parliament
Report says failure to act, and denial of human rights, is causing frustration and erosion of trust.
David Lammy, Labour MP:
“What happens is what we see on the streets of the United States. They take the law into their own hands. People get very angry and frustrated.”
David Lammy, Labour MP:
“What happens is what we see on the streets of the United States. They take the law into their own hands. People get very angry and frustrated.”
Report cites “lack of sustained political will” as key reason for not implementing the plethora of recommendations.
It says “at best this can be viewed as negligent... at worst... [reports are] used by govts as a way of avoiding taking action.”
Says there’s lack of “strategy”.
![Report cites “lack of sustained political will” as key reason for not implementing the plethora of recommendations.It says “at best this can be viewed as negligent... at worst... [reports are] used by govts as a way of avoiding taking action.”Says there’s lack of “strategy”.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EmiwtTQW8AE6ptx.jpg "Report cites “lack of sustained political will” as key reason for not implementing the plethora of recommendations.It says “at best this can be viewed as negligent... at worst... [reports are] used by govts as a way of avoiding taking action.”Says there’s lack of “strategy”.")
It says “at best this can be viewed as negligent... at worst... [reports are] used by govts as a way of avoiding taking action.”
Says there’s lack of “strategy”.
Now onto the area of health.
78% of Black women & 47% of Black men do not believe their health is equally protected by the NHS compared to white people.
Black people are 4x more likely to be sectioned, and rates of Community Treatment Order 9x more, than white people.
78% of Black women & 47% of Black men do not believe their health is equally protected by the NHS compared to white people.
Black people are 4x more likely to be sectioned, and rates of Community Treatment Order 9x more, than white people.
Now onto Black maternal mortality - which is truly horrific.
Black women are 5x more likely to die in child birth than white women.
This figure is increasing.
Black women are 5x more likely to die in child birth than white women.
This figure is increasing.
Reasons cited:
Socio-economic inequality
Lack of inclusion of BAME women in medical research
Institutional racism
Despite all this, there have been NO PROPER RECOMMENDATIONS OR TARGETS.
“The NHS acknowledge and regret this disparity but have no target to end it.”
Socio-economic inequality Lack of inclusion of BAME women in medical research Institutional racism Despite all this, there have been NO PROPER RECOMMENDATIONS OR TARGETS.
“The NHS acknowledge and regret this disparity but have no target to end it.”
Let me repeat that:
“The death rate for Black women in childbirth is *FIVE TIMES HIGHER* than for white women. The NHS acknowledge and regret this disparity but have *NO TARGET TO END IT*.”
“ACKNOWLEDGE AND REGRET” “NO TARGET TO END IT”
“The death rate for Black women in childbirth is *FIVE TIMES HIGHER* than for white women. The NHS acknowledge and regret this disparity but have *NO TARGET TO END IT*.”
“ACKNOWLEDGE AND REGRET” “NO TARGET TO END IT”
The situation with Covid and Black maternity is also disturbing.
Black women are 8x more likely to be hospitalised with Covid than white women.
88% of the women that died during pregnancy with Covid were form Black, Asian, or minority ethnic backgrounds.
Black women are 8x more likely to be hospitalised with Covid than white women.
88% of the women that died during pregnancy with Covid were form Black, Asian, or minority ethnic backgrounds.
A 4 point plan has been laid out to address disparities:
Increasing support
Reaching out and reassuring pregnant Black, Asian, and minority ethnic women
Ensuring hospitals discuss supplements and nutrition
Ensuring ethnicity is recorded on maternity information
Increasing support Reaching out and reassuring pregnant Black, Asian, and minority ethnic women Ensuring hospitals discuss supplements and nutrition Ensuring ethnicity is recorded on maternity information
Now onto Covid more broadly.
Impact on Black people has “been disproportionately severe”.
Black people have between a 10% to 50% higher risk of death when compared to white people.
19% of people from Black backgrounds know someone who has died from Covid.
Impact on Black people has “been disproportionately severe”.
Black people have between a 10% to 50% higher risk of death when compared to white people.
19% of people from Black backgrounds know someone who has died from Covid.
Socio-economic inequality is cited as factor, such as:
Being more likely to be frontline worker
Health inequalities
Less likely to be be protected with PPE
Lower levels of pre-existing savings to buffer economic impact of Covid
Being more likely to be frontline worker Health inequalities Less likely to be be protected with PPE Lower levels of pre-existing savings to buffer economic impact of Covid
Report says there should be an inquiry into why Black people are dying at higher rates, such as looking at decisions around PPE or differences in employment and housing.
THAT’S IT.
We’re a whole 50% more likely to die right now, and THAT’S IT.
WE GET A PAGE.
I AM VEX.
THAT’S IT.
We’re a whole 50% more likely to die right now, and THAT’S IT.
WE GET A PAGE.
I AM VEX.
Now onto the Criminal Justice System.
85% of Black people don’t think they’re treated the same as white people by police.
Black women (91%) are less likely to believe they will be treated the same as white people by the police than Black men (77%).
85% of Black people don’t think they’re treated the same as white people by police. Black women (91%) are less likely to believe they will be treated the same as white people by the police than Black men (77%).
Black people are over represented in the CJS. Black people are:
9.5x more likely than White people to be stopped and searched by police in England and Wales
9.5x more likely than White people to be stopped and searched by police in England and Wales
Black people are more than 5x as likely to have force used against them by police than white people Black people are 8x more likely to be tasered than white people 7.7% of the prison population is Black- despite being 3% of the population of England and Wales
Black children are criminalised and disproportionately targeted by police - and it’s increasing. They are:
4x more likely to be arrested than white children
3x more likely to be given a caution or sentence than white children
Make up 33% of remanded in youth custody
4x more likely to be arrested than white children 3x more likely to be given a caution or sentence than white children Make up 33% of remanded in youth custody
are given custodial sentences at a higher rate than white children - Black children now account for 26% of youth custody population Report now moves onto the Lammy Review (2016) on the issue of Black people in CJS. The review had three key recommendations (out of 35):
Open decision making and external scrutiny Lack of trust in CJS results in worse outcomes during sentencing CJS must have a stronger analysis about where responsibility lies beyond their own boundaries.Only 6 of Lammy’s 35 recommendations have been done.
Report states the lack of comprehensive implementation has made the situation worse - the proportion of BAME people in youth offender institutions has risen from 41% to 51%.
“We call for the recommendations from the Lammy Review to be implemented as a matter of priority.”
“We call for the recommendations from the Lammy Review to be implemented as a matter of priority.”
The Black community is over-policed.
4 in every 1,000 white people are stopped and searched vs 38 in every 1,000 Black people.
This can interfere with Black people’s human rights in areas of:
Right to security
Right to private and family life
Right to liberty
4 in every 1,000 white people are stopped and searched vs 38 in every 1,000 Black people.
This can interfere with Black people’s human rights in areas of:
Right to security Right to private and family life Right to liberty
Report says the heart of this is stereotyping of Black people - especially Black men due to narratives in media, and even criminal justice system and education.
Talks about how Black people are seen as “less than” due to these issues.
Talks about how Black people are seen as “less than” due to these issues.
Report talks about how the inquiry happened around the same time of Bianca Williams being stopped by the Met Police.
Says the incident has now been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and Baroness Lawrence says Williams and her partner were stereotyped.
Says the incident has now been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and Baroness Lawrence says Williams and her partner were stereotyped.
The review states:
“The police must regularly poll Black people to find out their levels of confidence in the police to protect their human rights. They must publish the findings of this polling and use it to set a benchmark and a target to increase the confidence.”
“The police must regularly poll Black people to find out their levels of confidence in the police to protect their human rights. They must publish the findings of this polling and use it to set a benchmark and a target to increase the confidence.”
Next is on to deaths in police custody - where Black people are disproportionately represented.
Between 1 April 2019 - 31 March 2020, Black people made up 17% deaths despite being less than 4% of the population.
Families affected cite lack of accountability as a key issue.
Between 1 April 2019 - 31 March 2020, Black people made up 17% deaths despite being less than 4% of the population.
Families affected cite lack of accountability as a key issue.
Review says “Recommendations from the Angiolini Review (2017) referencing institutional racism, race or discrimination must be responded to and taken forward as a matter of urgency.”
It was set up as a direct response to the deaths of Sean Rigg & Olaseni Lewis in police custody.
It was set up as a direct response to the deaths of Sean Rigg & Olaseni Lewis in police custody.
Next on to immigration - & this is incredibly damning (but unsurprising).
It states “the widely acknowledged systemic failings of the immigration system stem from institutional racism in the Home Office, & that this was embedded in nationality & immigration policy and practice.”
It states “the widely acknowledged systemic failings of the immigration system stem from institutional racism in the Home Office, & that this was embedded in nationality & immigration policy and practice.”
It goes on to discuss the Windrush Scandal and subsequent report by Wendy Williams.
“Institutional ignorance and thoughtlessness” to the Windrush Generation are “consistent with some elements of the definition of institutional racism”.
“Institutional ignorance and thoughtlessness” to the Windrush Generation are “consistent with some elements of the definition of institutional racism”.
The report says the government must implement the Windrush lessons learned review “as a matter of urgency”.
It says “focus must be placed on securing the cultural changes needed to ensure that people are treated with humanity and not treated unfairly because of their race.”
It says “focus must be placed on securing the cultural changes needed to ensure that people are treated with humanity and not treated unfairly because of their race.”
Review talks of how Windrush victims are dying without compensation, and fewer than 5 people have been offered the top level “Impact on Life” payment.
It says Williams says the scheme is not working, and says Lammy finds the “beyond a reasonable doubt” threshold an insult.
It says Williams says the scheme is not working, and says Lammy finds the “beyond a reasonable doubt” threshold an insult.
Review says the compensation scheme needs fixing, the standard of proof should be changed to “the balance of probabilities” (instead of beyond a reasonable doubt - which is more like criminal law burden of proof), and ensure compensation is provided “without further delay”.
Vitally important section now on democracy.
25% of Black voters in the UK are not registered to vote compared to a 17% average across the population. Reasons cited:
Black people see institutions working against the, so “why bother?”
25% of Black voters in the UK are not registered to vote compared to a 17% average across the population. Reasons cited:
Black people see institutions working against the, so “why bother?”
Voter suppression via requiring ID to vote: 76% of white people have ID, but over 50% of Black people don’t.Review says: “Government must consult on the implementation of automatic voter registration as a means of increasing democratic participation among Black people.”
Now onto the EHRC.
“They seem to position the EHRC as one among many actors who make suggestions and recommendations to Government and seek to persuade it to act upon them rather than the leading champion of Black people’s rights, demanding and enforcing change.”
“They seem to position the EHRC as one among many actors who make suggestions and recommendations to Government and seek to persuade it to act upon them rather than the leading champion of Black people’s rights, demanding and enforcing change.”
Review says the “Black community, witnesses told us that the EHRC compares unfavourably with the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) which it replaced.”
David Lammy says: “I want to say loudly it has turned out to be a mistake to get rid of the Commission for Racial Equality.”
David Lammy says: “I want to say loudly it has turned out to be a mistake to get rid of the Commission for Racial Equality.”
This report pulls no punches on the EHRC failing the Black community.
“This Committee has long been concerned that the EHRC’s powers in relation to human rights are not fit for purpose. This undermines its ability to protect Black people’s rights more effectively.”
“This Committee has long been concerned that the EHRC’s powers in relation to human rights are not fit for purpose. This undermines its ability to protect Black people’s rights more effectively.”
“At the time of writing there are currently no commissioners on the EHRC board who are Black.”
The replacement of the Commission For Racial Equality with the EHRC “has resulted in a weaker focus on race equality issues than was previously the case.”
The replacement of the Commission For Racial Equality with the EHRC “has resulted in a weaker focus on race equality issues than was previously the case.”
Recommendations for the EHRC (that’s right, the EHRC has a diversity problem, you couldn’t make it up):
Black people must be represented at the top level, including as commissioners
It must have adequate resources
Govt must give EHRC enforcement powers
Black people must be represented at the top level, including as commissioners It must have adequate resources Govt must give EHRC enforcement powers
Here it outlines why the government should “consider whether changes are required to equality legislation to make it more effective as a tool to enforce Black people’s human rights.”
This part of the review outlines the importance of Black led organisations & the importance of supporting them.
“The Office for Civil Society must consider what can be done to support the further development of independent Black-led voluntary and community sector organisations.”
“The Office for Civil Society must consider what can be done to support the further development of independent Black-led voluntary and community sector organisations.”
It references that the data we have on racial disparities at the moment isn’t complete enough - despite the race disparity audit in 2016. For example, traffic stop data isn’t recorded despite it being an area of concern for Black people.
Says better dats recording is needed.
Says better dats recording is needed.
Here are the conclusions & recommendations.
Summary: implement the MANY recommendations from previous reports, treat the Windrush fairly & with dignity, address racism at the Home Office, reform/replace EHRC, do inquiry in Black maternal deaths, & address Covid race disparities.
Summary: implement the MANY recommendations from previous reports, treat the Windrush fairly & with dignity, address racism at the Home Office, reform/replace EHRC, do inquiry in Black maternal deaths, & address Covid race disparities.
