3 September 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) coming into force.
60 years of Human Rights
During the Second World War countries across Europe witnessed what can happen when there are no rules on the exercise of government power. In the aftermath of this conflict governments, including the UK, drafted the ECHR and agreed they have legal obligations to respect, protect and fulfil a set of basic human rights belonging to all people in Europe.
The ECHR aims to ensure coherent and consistent protection of the human rights of the 800 million people in the 47 countries of the Council of Europe, including the UK.
Here in the UK Human Rights legislation has been getting a bad name recently, used as a scapegoat for court decisions seen by some as questionable. BUT, more and more independent advocates are making use of Human Rights legislation to protect the rights of vulnerable older people.
Click the link to find the factsheet about the European Convention on Human Rights from the British Institute of Human Rights and read their human rights guide for older people here
Older People Living with Cancer 