Significant societal trends risk compromising the social, economic and cultural rights of people in England and Wales, according to a report to the United Nations from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
The report outlines some of the issues to be addressed to strengthen equality and human rights in Britain, including the pressures on social care and the effects of digital exclusion and online safety. It will inform the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which oversees the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The UK signed this international treaty in 1976 and the UN will be reviewing the UK’s compliance later in 2023.
The EHRC report highlights how the rising cost of living, particularly for essentials such as energy and food, is exacerbating inequalities already worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher costs worsen poverty rates, which disproportionately affect certain groups, including some ethnic minorities, as well as disabled people and children. The report calls on the UK and Welsh governments to continue to work to address these problems.
The ongoing shift to an online world also risks excluding some people from work or services, particularly the 10% of adults in the UK who do not use or have access to the internet at home, or who are adversely impacted by cost or a lack of digital skills. The report calls on the UK and Welsh Governments to ensure these groups are included in strategies to increase digital inclusion.
Marcial Boo, Chief Executive Officer of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: