On 6th November 2012, James Harrison, Mary-Ann Stephenson and Ann Stewart organised an expert workshop to examine existing approaches to analysing and challenging the public spending cuts using human rights and equality law. The workshop included leading academics, legal practitioners, civil society activists and trade union representatives. ]

This week we lauch the report of that workshop. The report highlights various key findings of existing approaches that will be useful for those interested in work in this field. It also identifies a number of recommendations for future action to promote future analysis and challenge; The creation of web-based resources; the production of further guidance and research; the formation of a network of actors and further workshops and training events. The report is available here.

On 6 November, the Centre for Human Rights in Practice brought together a select group of experts - lawyers, civil society activists, trade unions and academics from across the UK - to discuss human rights and equality approaches to the public spending cuts.

Since the coalition Government introduced its programme of public sector austerity in 2010 equalities and human rights legislation and standards have been a key tool for civil society groups, unions, lawyers and academics to analyse and challenge the public sector spending cuts. With the austerity programme now looking set to continue for the next decade, this is an important time to reflect on our experience and plan for the future.

The workshop gave rise to a range of ideas for future action and a report will be produced and publicised on the website which includes ideas for next steps.

The Centre for Human Rights in Practice is undertaking a joint project with Mekelle University Center for Human Rights to identify the human rights and equality impacts of trade agreements in Ethiopia. The study aims to undertake a scoping study on the human rights impact of Ethiopian accession to the WTO and the Economic Partnership Agreement between African Caribbean and Pacific countries and the European Union.

The report is planned to be launched in Septmber.

Charra Tesfaye Terfassa, lecturer at Mekele University and the main author of the study said " We hope that the results of the scoping study will serve as the basis for a full scale study which we will seek funding for. In addition, this will the be the first equality and human rights impact assessment in relation to the trade agreements of a Least Developed Country. This study therefore hopes to offer insights in to how other studies of LDCs might be produced in the future."

Dr James Harrison, Co-Director of the Centre for Human Rights in Practice (CHRP), commented "It is great to this kind of initiative taking place. We very much hope that this will be the start of a longer term relationship between our two Centres."

To read more about CHRP's work on EHRIAs, please clck here.