Where Can I Get Official Advice About my Human Rights?

Despite the fact that our human rights are codified in law, and public organisations and government bodies should have policies in place to prevent it, there is always a chance that, if you feel you are being treated unfairly, your human rights have been breached. Whether you are a disabled person in need of treatment or a prisoner suffering inhumane treatment, you have the right to take action.

Where Do I Go for Advice?

As with any legal proceedings, your first port of call should be a Solicitor or your Citizens Advice Bureau. A quick search of your local library’s information section, the internet or a couple of phone calls should be all it takes to find the person in your area who specialises in human rights issues. You have the freedom to do this and you should not allow yourself to be put off because you are ‘just one person’ and the authority you are fighting seems like a colossus.

Once you have found the person, or firm, that you need to speak to, make sure you take any and all relevant information and evidence with you. The legal field is notoriously vague and you will help your representative a great deal if you have everything to hand.

Listen to what they have to say; they may also put their opinion into a legal report for you, ensure that you read it fully and take their advice seriously, but do bear in mind that many legal professionals will not take on a situation that they do not feel they can win, so ask them what your chances are and whether they are prepared to assist you. If not, then they may be able to point you in the direction of someone who can help you.

How Much Will it Cost?

All legal proceedings are expensive, sometimes prohibitively so, and as you will essentially be bringing a civil suit, then it is unlikely that the state will give you any assistance. It may also take a very long time, so be prepared to have your patience tested.

What if I Don’t Want to See a Solicitor Just Yet?

If you are not quite sure about whether you want to proceed, or are unsure if your rights have even been breached, then you can contact the public body concerned, such as your local authority and ask them to explain their actions. You have the freedom to question them and ask them to provide you with a copy of their official policy. If you feel, after having read it, that your rights have been breached, then you can ask them to deal with it.

I can’t guarantee that they will respond in a prompt or even helpful manner, but you have the freedom to do this and it is your right as a human being to be given the information. If they seem to be stalling or trying to dodge the issue, then you can contact the Government’s own public service website (www.direct.gov.uk) and contact them for further advice.

What if I Can’t Find Anyone to Help Me?

In the unlikely event that there is no-one close to you with the skills to help you, there are dozens of free help sites on the internet. It will cost you nothing to find out what your position is. In addition, there are some very well-known voluntary organisations which specialise in human rights, such as ‘Liberty’ and the ‘British Institute of Human Rights’, that are committed to furthering the cause of human rights and to helping people, just like you, who feel that their rights have been infringed, breached or completely ignored.

Some of them may go so far as to help you fund the case and provide you with support, information and detailed reports on their progress on your behalf.

The point to remember is this: the UK laws have enshrined your rights as a human being. They have also specifically stated that you have the right to take any public authority to task over their treatment of you. The law and systems are there – you may as well use them, and possibly prevent the same thing happening to someone else.