Special review of the EHRC’s accreditation not warranted

7 Nov 2025 12:48 PM

The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions’ Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) has confirmed that a special review of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s accreditation is not warranted.  

Earlier this year, one advocacy group and six individuals wrote separately to the SCA, asking for the EHRC’s 'A' status accreditation as a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) to be reviewed. On 23 October, several other advocacy organisations announced further submissions to the SCA.  

The SCA met for its second scheduled session of 2025 in October. It decided that a special review of the EHRC was not required at this time.  

The SCA last undertook a special review of the EHRC’s accreditation in 2024, concluding that it remained fully compliant with the ‘Paris Principles’, which provide the benchmark for high-performing, independent National Human Rights Institutions. The EHRC has previously retained its ‘A’ status as part of routine accreditation processes in 2022, 2015 and 2008.  

Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said:

“We welcome the decision that our reaccreditation will not be subject to a special review. The EHRC demonstrates the high standards required of an ‘A’ status National Human Rights Institution every day, in everything we do.  

“We want a Britain where everybody’s rights are upheld, and nobody is discriminated against for who they are. We know we share this goal with many of the civil society organisations we work with.  

“But as an NHRI and Britain’s equality regulator, we have a duty to consider how the rights of one person or group might be affected by the rights of another. We have to strike a balance on the basis of an expert, and impartial, understanding of the law and an assessment of the evidence unduly influenced by neither government, nor advocacy organisations.    

“Some of the calls for our accreditation to be reviewed cited the steps we have taken since April’s Supreme Court judgment on the definition of ‘sex’ in the Equality Act. We do not make the law – it’s our job to accurately explain how it works in practice, as we have done at every opportunity since the Supreme Court’s ruling, to help everyone comply with it.  A shared and correct understanding of the law is essential to that endeavour.

“A number of times during my term as chair of the EHRC, I have reflected that the referee is often underappreciated. Attempts at discrediting the regulator do nothing to protect or promote the rights of those with the protected characteristics of sexual orientation and gender reassignment.  

“The EHRC will continue to work with all those who can help realise our vision of a society where everyone gets a fair chance and can live well together.”