Date: Thursday 25 October 2007
Time: 6.30-8pm
Venue: Old Theatre, Old Building
Speakers: Baroness Jane Campbell DBE, Francesca Klug OBE, Trevor Phillips
Chair: Professor Conor Gearty

The new Equality and Human Rights Commission has just started its work in Britain. Its goal is to be an 'independent influential champion whose purpose is to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people and protect human rights.' Its remit reaches the whole community, seeking to secure equality of respect for all, and it also plans to take 'an active role in helping to achieve change to benefit some of the most vulnerable and least well represented people in our society.' How likely is it that this new body will achieve its goals? Will it do a better job than the three long-standing bodies that it supersedes, the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission? What will be its relationship with government? Can it avoid getting swamped with legal cases to the detriment of achieving lasting social change? Are there other priorities that it should have? In this question and answer session come and find out for yourself, with Commission chair Trevor Phillips and Commissioners Francesca Klug and Jane Campbell answering questions about the new body.

Trevor Phillips is the chair of the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Francesca Klug is professorial research fellow in the Centre for the Study of Human Rights and EHRC Commissioner. Jane Campbell is EHRC commissioner and chair of the Disability Committee. Conor Gearty is professor of human rights law and director of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights, LSE.

Send your question
This is a unique opportunity to put your questions to the one or more members of the panel. Please send your question, along with your name, any affiliation and your telephone number to human.rights@lse.ac.uk no later than 5pm on Wednesday 24th October.

This event is free and open to all with no ticket required. Entry is on a first come, first served basis. For more information, email events@lse.ac.uk or call 020 7955 6043.

Media queries: please contact the Press Office if you would like to reserve a press seat or have a media query about this event, email pressoffice@lse.ac.uk or call 020 7955 7060.

The next public lecture organised by the Centre for the Study of Human Rights will be on Wednesday 14 November and is entitled Iraq and the Law: what went wrong?