What René Cassin is Calling For?
The General Election, this 4th July, is a time for us to call on the next government of the UK to take seriously the commitment to human rights. René Cassin is calling on the newly elected government to:
- Keep the UK signed into the European Convention on Human Rights.
- Repeal the cruel Rwanda Act, Illegal Migration Act and Nationality and Borders Act.
- Enshrine the Right to Food in UK law.
- Recognise China’s genocide against the Uyghurs.
- Strengthen the Modern Slavery Act to sanction businesses which profit from modern slavery.
Protect Human Rights in the UK
The modern framework of human rights was developed in response to the Holocaust, in-part pioneered
by Jewish lawyers. As such, human rights have a central importance to the Jewish community. In recent
years, the respect that many elected politicians have for these principles has been regressing.
Any move to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights or weaken the UK’s Human Rights
Act could severely undermine human rights and cause serious damage to the most vulnerable among us.
We hope to see the next government:
- Keep the UK signed into the European Convention on Human Rights and other international
human rights conventions and treaties. - Maintain the Human Right Act.
- Seek to calm the demonisation of human rights institutions and present them in an accurate
fashion. - Address long-standing socio and economic inequalities and ensure fair and equal access to food,
housing, health and education.
Protect Refugees and those Seeking Asylum
As British Jews, much of our community found a safe home in the UK after escaping war and persecution
in other countries. We found a country, which allowed and encouraged the Jewish community to thrive.
It is of particular concern that this welcoming spirit has been damaged in recent years with refugees and
asylum seekers experiencing a hostile environment when looking for safety in the UK.
We hope to see the next government:
- Repeal the Rwanda Act, the Illegal Migration Act and the Nationality and Borders Act.
- Advocate for inclusive policies and protection against discrimination for those seeking asylum and
refugees that comply with international human rights law. - Support humane and compassionate community-based alternatives to detention for refugees and asylum seekers.
- Promote a positive and compassionate narratives on refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants.
- End the de-facto criminalisation of those who are survivors of human trafficking by adopting a holistic approach of tackling modern slavery.
Enshrine the Right to Food
The cost-of-living crisis has exacerbated food insecurity across the whole of the UK, with many going
routinely hungry. Together with initiatives across the UK, we aim to encourage the UK government to
implement sustainable, long-term solutions to ensure equal access to food.
We ask the next government to:
- Enshrine the Right to Food in UK law.
- Support the development of Right to Food boroughs.
- Pass legislation declaring economic, social, and cultural rights as human rights.
Recognise the Uyghur Genocide
Despite there being a strong international legal mechanism for almost a century, the UK has no real ability to determine or respond to genocide abroad. In the Uyghur Region of Xinjiang in northwest China, the genocide against the Uyghur population is carried out in several ways as millions have been detained in concentration camps where they endure torture, deprivation of necessities, systematic sexual assault, and forced medication. Forced labour programmes have displaced many from their homes, and children are separated from their parents and placed in state-run orphanages. There is a direct link between goods that end up in the UK and the enforced labour of Uyghur people.
Whilst we are aware of the UK’s need to transition to a green economy, we are concerned about the proportion of the green industry that uses forced labour in product supply chains; it is estimated that 40 per cent of UK solar farms are built using panels made by forced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur region of China.
We hope to see the next government:
- Recognise China’s genocide against the Uyghurs.
- Strengthen the Modern Slavery Act to sanction businesses, which profit from modern slavery and provide new guidelines for how to investigate supply chains.
- Strengthen UK import regulations so that the UK stops being the dumping ground for products made by enslaved people.
- Train the civil service to correctly identify genocide and mass atrocity crimes in other countries.
Challenge Hate Crime
As Jewish people, we are aware of the stark and unprecedented rise of anti-Jewish racism in the UK over the past half-year. We are also worried about the rise in anti-Muslim racism and see this year as an important moment to demonstrate solidarity with other minority communities.
We hope to see the next government:
- Amplify the voices of communities affected by hate and provide support to all marginalised groups.
- Prioritise the end of violence against women and girls, looking beyond just the criminal justice system.
- Counter the demonisation of Roma, Gypsy and Traveller communities and prioritise their access to healthcare and education.
- Tackle anti-Jewish racism, anti-Muslim racism and any other form of racism.
Download the full asks here.
