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Human rights commission to carry out Grenfell Inquiry
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has launched its own inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire to determine if the state is carrying out its obligations under human rights law.
David Isaac, chair of the EHRC, said there are several areas where the state “fell short” in its duties to citizens “and these must be properly addressed”.
The commission’s inquiry is expected to report in April next year, ahead of the judge-led public inquiry. It will hear from several people who can offer insight into the events at Grenfell Tower, with a focus on the equality and human rights implications.
The inquiry will focus on seven key areas:
- How the state is investigating the deaths from the Grenfell Tower fire and whether current arrangements meet its obligations
- Whether the state ensured the safety of the residents in Grenfell Tower and whether lessons have been learnt from previous reports
- What immediate and longer-term support victims of such events can expect from the state, including medical treatment, counselling, care and housing
- Whether adequate and safe housing has been provided to the Grenfell Tower residents, with a particular focus on children, disabled and older people whose needs may not have been fully respected and understood within the fire regulations, the EHRC said
- Whether victims have been able to access appropriate legal advice after the fire, or whether a lack of access to legal support may have affected residents’ ability to address complaints about the risk of fire at Grenfell Tower
- The specific rights of children and whether they have received appropriate psychological support, housing, and educational support since the fire
- Whether there were any policies and practices in place that disadvantaged any particular groups, such as disabled people or older people, and if the state met the requirement of the public sector Equality Duty
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Mr Isaac said: “The Grenfell Tower fire has become a symbol of the inequality that exists in our country. Seventy-one people tragically lost their lives, as well as the many people who lost their homes, possessions, families and loved ones. The first duty of the state is to protect the lives of its citizens and lessons must be learnt to avoid this happening again.
He added: “From the right to life to the duty to provide adequate housing, there are several areas where the state fell short in its duties to its citizens and these must be properly addressed.
“The official public inquiry is rightly looking at the building, fire and safety measures, property management and the events of the fire itself, but we believe our expertise in equality and human rights laws is essential in determining the extent to which the state failed, not only the residents of Grenfell Tower, but also those who witnessed the fire and have endured harm, physically or emotionally, as a result of it.”
