The Regulatory Space of Equality and Human Rights Law in Britain: The Role of the Equality and Human Rights Commission

Abstract

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) was created in 2006 with wideranging powers to protect human rights, promote equal opportunities and encourage mutual respect between different groups. Alongside the Commission, individuals, through the courts and sector-specific enforcers (such as ombudsmen and regulators), have also been given equality and human rights enforcement powers. Within this enforcement landscape, the Commission has struggled to craft an enforcement role for itself. For the first time, this article, through the mapping of these different actors in their shared regulatory space, outlines a role for the EHRC in equality and human rights enforcement. This role consists of three primary tasks: (1) taking action that courts and sector-specific enforcers are unable to perform; (2) overcoming some of the limitations of private enforcement in the courts; and (3) coordinating and supporting sector-specific enforcers. The article concludes by exploring how the EHRC can effectively fulfil this role.