Rights watchdog 'should lose status' over trans row

Britain's human rights watchdog faces a legal challenge to its status over a row about transgender rights.

LGBT charities want the UN to revoke the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) status as an independent group.

It comes after the EHRC was criticised for calling for a pause to proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act in Scotland.

The changes would make it easier for people to legally change sex.

But the EHRC has raised concerns about the impact on single-sex services.

LGBT charity Stonewall, backed by the Good Law Project, has drawn up a submission to the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, calling for the EHRC to lose its "A rating". This would prevent it from being able to make representations at the UN Human Rights Council, or its committees on human rights.

The 19-page submission accuses the EHRC of being "excessively" influenced by the UK government in the appointments of the chair and board members.

The EHRC says it takes all decisions impartially and "based on evidence in the UK and internationally".

"All appointments to our non-executive and executive roles are made through a fair, open and transparent recruitment process. The way the commission is governed and commissioners appointed is set out in the Equality Act, and has not changed since the commission was established."

The EHRC is funded by the Government Equalities Office, but says it operates independently of ministerial control.

Jolyon Maugham, of The Good Law Project, said: "The EHRC is subject to a level of oversight and micro-management from the department which is just not consistent with being a UN Human Rights Institution."

The submission accuses Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who is also the women and equalities minister, of making "politically motivated" appointments to the EHRC.

Since Ms Truss' appointments took up their posts, the submission letter alleges there has been a marked change in the EHRC's stance on Scotland's planned changes to the Gender Recognition act.

A spokesperson for the government's Equality Hub insisted the EHRC remains an independent public body, adding that the government is "fully committed to advancing LGBT rights".

"In recent years we have taken great strides, including reducing the cost of applying for a Gender Recognition Certification."

This position was re-iterated in 2020, when the EHRC said there is "no reason" why making it simpler for people to legally change their gender would have an impact on protected spaces or services.

However, their most recent statement, published in January 2022, called for the plans to be paused, and noted "concerns" around single-sex services, but did not elaborate on what those concerns were.

Nancy Kelly, CEO of Stonewall, said she believed there was "credible evidence" that the EHRC no longer met the criteria of a national human rights institution.

"The politicisation of the UK's human rights body has placed trans people in the firing line, but this attempt to create a hierarchy of human rights in the UK is a very real threat to everyone, particularly those of us protected by the Equality Act."