UK Universal Periodic Review - Engender and UKJCW reports

22 Nov 2011

The United Nations reviews the Human Rights record of it's member states every four years and the UK governments report will be looked at during the next session of the UNHRC (United Nations Human Rights Commission) from 21st May- 1st June 2012.

Non Governmental organisations may also submit reports, drawing to the Committees attention areas where the UK may be falling short of it's committments under the Human Rights Act. (Find out more about the process here )

Engender have submitted a report focusing on two areas, women's participation in public life and women and childrens poverty and have made the following recommendations:

•  The UK and Scottish government should adopt legislation that would use special measures to redress the unequal balance of women and men in political processes, using a “Quotas +” approach.
• The Scottish and UK governments should integrate the child and women’s poverty policy areas and commit to reducing women’s poverty as fundamental to reducing children’s poverty.

Read Engenders full submission here

Engender also have a voice in this process through our place on the UK Joint Committee on Women.   The UKJCW have reported on three areas:- the impact on women of the governments economic policies; reproductive health access in Northern Ireland; violence against women.

Read the UKJCW submission here