- The new chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, has urged ministers to ensure human rights are protected across the UK.
- Dr Stephenson criticised the government for failing to uphold basic rights, specifically citing issues with peaceful protests, disabled people's access to healthcare, and the exploitation of migrant workers.
- The EHRC's report highlighted concerns that laws such as the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act and the Public Order Act 2023 disproportionately restrict protest rights.
- The watchdog also noted substantial gaps in improving healthcare access for disabled people and persistent failings in protecting migrant workers from abuse, particularly within sponsored work visa schemes.
- This report, released on Human Rights Day, marks the halfway point in the government's five-year period to improve its human rights record, with the next review due in 2027.
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