“The recent judgment by the Supreme Court was a common-sense ruling that reaffirmed the importance of sex-based protections. This was a victory for the rights of women and girls, providing clarity and reassurance, in particular, around the provision of single-sex spaces. Therefore, it is deeply regrettable that the Equality Commission’s response appears to cast doubt on the implementation of this landmark decision.
The suggestion that EU law should continue to dictate matters of such importance to women’s rights in Northern Ireland is entirely unacceptable. Whether it be immigration policy, equality protections or indeed any other area, the Windsor Framework should not be seized upon to place the rights of local people in limbo. Article 2 is about ‘no diminution of rights’ yet the Equality Commission do not seem able to set out in plain terms which right was in place and has now supposedly been lost. The Government must act swiftly and decisively to make it absolutely clear that EU law is not binding in respect of the Supreme Court judgement and cannot stymy efforts to reassert and protect the hard-won rights of women and girls in our society.”
Rather than encouraging public authorities to honour te Supreme Court’s decision in good faith, the Equality Commission is now, in effect, inviting public authorities, including government departments, to raise concerns with the current judgement. That is disgraceful. It risks becoming yet another excuse for obfuscation and inaction from certain departments that have so far failed to prioritise the clear need to uphold the rights and welfare of women and girls.
Those responsible for providing essential single-sex spaces and services should not be distracted or deterred by today’s messaging from the Commission. The Supreme Court ruling provides clear legal authority, and it is incumbent upon public authorities to move decisively to implement its outcome, not to prevaricate.”