• UK and Argentina will co-chair the 2022 Equal Rights Coalition conference from Buenos Aires today
• 42 member states and more than 140 civil society organisations will discuss the need to uphold human rights for LGBT persons
• pre-conference report highlights the growing global “backlash” against LGBT rights and freedoms

The Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) will meet in Buenos Aires today (Thursday 8 September) to discuss joint action on urgent issues that LGBT people face globally.

The gathering comes at a pivotal moment as ERC member states have identified a growing global threat to the freedoms and human rights of LGBT persons. It will also provide the opportunity for governments and NGOs to share best practice.

The current ERC co-chairs, Argentina and the UK, will also present a report tracking progress of the ERC’s Strategy and Five-Year Implementation Plan, published in July 2021.

Germany and Mexico will take up their roles as new ERC co-chairs during the closing ceremony of the conference on Friday 9 September. The ERC will commit to strengthening engagement from ERC members and empowering greater representation from the Global South. Germany and Mexico will also be joined by civil society co-chairs and supported by a new Administrative Unit, funded by member states.

UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for LGBT Rights, Nick Herbert (Lord Herbert of South Downs) said:

The UK stands for freedom – and that means freedom for all. We’re proud of the Equal Rights Coalition’s work to defend these freedoms but more needs to be done, in every part of the world, to achieve our aims.

We look forward to supporting Germany and Mexico in their role as the next ERC co-chairs. Together we can send the clear message that LGBT rights are human rights.

Argentina’s Special Representative Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Alba Rueda said:

Argentina is a strong country in human rights and diversity. This is the result of the social and political movement of lesbians, gays, travestis, transgender people, non-binaries, and all activisms that break away from the patriarchal and binary system.

We value the ERC in this same way: as a space in which social organisations can express themselves so that states can listen to them and commit to turning their demands into public policies.

This year’s ERC Conference follows previous convenings in Montevideo in 2016, Vancouver in 2018, and a virtual event in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the UK and Argentina have held an extended tenure as co-chairs since 2019.

The conference will focus on 4 key areas, including:

• developing inclusive national laws and policies
• advancing the Sustainable Development Goals
• supporting civil society responses to the global anti-gender movement
• mapping the progress towards decriminalisation around the world

Civil society organisations play a vital role in the Equal Rights Coalition. The current civil society co-chairs – Asociación Familias Diversas Argentina, Kaleidoscope Trust, and Stonewall – support more than 140 groups from across the world. The UK, Argentina, Mexico, the USA, Canada, The Netherlands and Belgium have funded some of the in-person participation at this year’s conference for civil society organisations and human rights defenders from the Global South.

In July 2021, the ERC agreed a Strategic Plan and Five-Year Implementation Plan to help guide and energise the group’s work and ensure the organisation can live up to its huge potential. The pre-conference report highlighted this prioritisation process as a “major achievement” of Argentina and the UK’s tenure as co-chairs.

• the ERC will meet in Buenos Aires from 8 to 9 September
• for delegates unable to attend in person, participants will also be able to engage virtually through a hybrid meeting
• journalists wishing to cover elements of the conference either in person or virtually, can apply for accreditation

An angler from Portsmouth who fished illegally has been ordered by a court to pay out nearly 100 times the amount of money than if he’d just bought a rod licence.

Dawid Rudzki was caught fishing without the licence in May last year at Sinah Lake, on Hayling Island.

A bailiff carrying out licence checks for Portsmouth and District Angling Society, which uses the lake, saw society member Rudzki didn’t have permission to fish with a rod. The bailiff reported the matter to the Environment Agency, which successfully pursued Rudzki through the courts.

Rudzki denied the charge, but the 47-year-old was fined £250 by magistrates. He could have bought a single-day rod licence to fish for just £6. Instead, his bill for not doing so, including costs, was almost £600.

Kye Jerrom, a senior enforcement officer with the Environment Agency, said:

The eagle-eyed bailiff at Sinah Lake was instrumental in bringing this case to court. Making sure anglers followed club rules ended with Rudzki’s conviction. An excellent example of a fishing club official making sure members pay their way, vital to helping the Environment Agency protect fisheries.

Around £25 million is raised annually through fishing licences, paying for stocking waters with half-a-million fish, and improving rivers and fisheries for anglers and the wider environment. It’s quick, easy and cheap to get a licence: online, by phone and at the Post Office – search ‘fishing licence’ on gov.uk.

Our fisheries enforcement officers carry out regular checks on private lakes, rivers, ponds and canals – anywhere that can be fished. Information on suspected illegal fishing can be called into our incident hotline: 0800 80 70 60.

Anglers aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water need a licence. An annual licence starts at £30. Concessions are available, and junior licences are free for 13-to-16-year-olds.

The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all-year-round, supported by police forces and the Angling Trust, as well as fishing clubs and societies.

Dawid Rudzki, of Gladys Road, in Portsmouth, pleaded not guilty to fishing without a rod licence at Sinah Lake, on Hayling Island, on 18 May 2021, contrary to section 27 (1) (a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

He was convicted in absentia at Portsmouth magistrates’ court on 12 July 2022, fined £250, and ordered to pay costs of £300 and a victim surcharge of £34.

The Attorney General is seeking to appoint new members to the Regional A, B and C panels, to undertake civil work for government departments.

Membership of the Regional Panels is open to barristers and solicitors with the appropriate qualifications.

Regional A Panel

Members of this panel deal with the most complex cases. Those previously appointed to the A panel have generally had in excess of 10 years advocacy experience (from end of 2nd six months’ pupillage for barristers, date of commencement of advocacy for solicitors).

Regional B Panel

Members of this panel deal with substantial cases but not in general as complex as those handled by the A panel. They will generally be instructed where knowledge and experience of a particular field is required. Those previously appointed to the B panel have generally had between 5 and 10 years advocacy experience.

Regional C Panel

Members of this panel will be expected to have at least 2 years’ experience. Those appointed to the C panel will often (but not exclusively) provide the A and B panel members of the future and so should have the potential to join the A panel.

In choosing which of the panels to apply to candidates will want to make a careful decision based on which best suits their level of expertise and experience.

Appointments will be for 5 years.

The Attorney General is looking for applicants with experience in general public and administrative law; employment; or personal injury. For the 2022 exercise, the Attorney is also looking to deepen the capacity of the panels by appointing specialists in the following areas:

• Administrative Law
• Charity/Trusts
• Clinical negligence
• Construction
• Contracts, Partnerships and Commercial Law in general (including private international law aspects)
• Costs (including routine and/or mass group litigation experience)
• Customs control – customs duties and other customs matters
• Defamation
• Education
• Employment
• Energy/Utilities
• Family and Children’s Law
• Health and social care including medicines ethics and mental health
• Immigration
• Industrial Diseases
• Industrial Relations
• Inquests
• Insolvency
• Intellectual Property
• Land and Planning/Environmental
• Pensions
• Personal Injury
• Proceeds of Crime
• Procurement
• Professional regulation
• Property (including Landlord and Tenant)
• Public Law
• Rating and Valuation
• Restitution
• Social Security, including free movement, social justice and statutory payments
• Tax Work – Direct and Indirect, Personal and Business
• Trade including Competition, State Aid & subsidies, international arbitration, shipping
• VAT and Duties, including VAT fraud

The Attorney General is also looking to appoint applicants capable of advising departments on the interface of public and commercial law issues, and also where criminal or regulatory issues arise in public law cases.

Application

For detailed information about the application process please familirise yourself with the Information for candidates (ODT, 49.3 KB) pack and the Frequently Asked Questions (ODT, 48.6 KB).

To make an application or to register your interest, please email panelcounsel@governmentlegal.gov.uk.

Once you have registered you will be provided with a link to access our online portal to obtain the full application pack.

Completed applications must be submitted by noon on Thursday 13 October 2022.

Further information and our mentoring scheme

If you have any queries, please feel free to raise them in the first instance with the Government Legal Department Panel Counsel Secretariat via email panelcounsel@governmentlegal.gov.uk

We wish to encourage applications from as wide a range as possible of those eligible to apply. We will endeavour to put advocates who are considering applying and who want to discuss the application process in touch with an established Panel member. The mentor will discuss the application process, eligibility criteria and the presentation of relevant information on the application form.

If you are considering applying and would like a mentor please contact the Panel Counsel Secretariat via email: panelcounsel@governmentlegal.gov.uk on or before Friday 30 September 2022.

Helpful videos explaining the process for reference selection and replying to the Government litigation question can be found below.

On Thursday 8 September, British Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Javed Patel hosted a send-off event for the girls’ football team which will shortly represent Bangladesh in the Street Child Football World Cup in Qatar.

The team is comprised of children who were all rescued from life on the streets, and now live at the LEEDO Peace Home in Dhaka.

LEEDO (Local Education and Economic Development Organisation) is a not-for-profit, voluntary-based development organisation founded in 2000. Through the provision of education, shelters, and lifestyle support, LEEDO aims to protect vulnerable street children and help them return to the mainstream community.

During the event, the young guests shared stories of their time living on the street, and appealed to guests to help improve the life chances of other less fortunate children. They were excited about the opportunity to meet two players from the Bangladesh U-19 National Football Team, Most Aklima Khatun and MST Halima Akhther, and talk to the professional players about their upcoming big game. They also showed off their footballing skills, and challenged the British Deputy High Commissioner to a ‘keepy-uppy’ contest!

Mr. Kazi Nabil Ahmed MP, Vice President of the Bangladesh Football Federation, and Mr. Abu Nayeem, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Football Federation, were also present at the event.

British Deputy High Commissioner Javed Patel said:

“Ensuring 12 years of quality education for all children is at the centre of the UK’s drive to tackle poverty, promote gender equality, boost economic growth, and reduce conflict. In Bangladesh, we are investing up to 54.5 million pounds over the next eight years to improve education outcomes for children, particularly girls and marginalised children. I wholly believe that sport is integral to a child’s education, and today we are proud to stand with the girls’ football team that will be representing Bangladesh on the international stage.”

Forhad Hossain, Executive Director of LEEDO said:

“We should all raise our voices together to protect the most vulnerable children from the dangers of the streets so that they can create a better Bangladesh. According to the UNCRC all children have the right to survive with dignity. I want to thank the British High Commission for organising this event with LEEDO.”

Further information

Email: Dhaka.Press@fco.gov.uk

Follow the British High Commissioner to Bangladesh on Twitter: @RCDicksonUK

Follow the British High Commission Dhaka on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin