News story: New Commissioner for the Equality and Human Rights Commission

On 21 April 2017 the Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening confirmed her decision to appoint Lord Shinkwin as the new Commissioner for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Lord Kevin Shinkwin has taken up his appointment from 21 April 2017 and the appointment is for a period of 4 years.

The EHRC is Great Britain’s designated equality body and ‘A-rated’ national human rights institution. Lord Shinkwin takes over from Lord Chris Holmes who was previously the EHRC Disability Commissioner. Lord Shinkwin will assist the EHRC to fulfil its role as the country’s expert body on equality and human rights issues.

Lord Shinkwin has lived with a severe disability since birth and has worked to tackle disability discrimination throughout his career. This includes his work at the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer Research UK, The Royal British Legion and the House of Lords, where he has sat as a Life Peer on the Conservative Benches since November 2015. Lord Shinkwin also introduced a Private Member’s Bill on disability equality to tackle legal and lethal disability discrimination before birth.