Pages from Declaration perfect croped 16 Oct dimitrina comment

27The Declaration of Principles on Equality: A Contribution to International Human RightsCommentary by Dimitrina Petrova, Executive DirectorThe Equal Rights TrustThe Principles on Equality are based on legal concepts that have evolved in international, regional and national human rights or equality jurisprudence. Although many of the terms employed in the Declaration are sufficiently well established, the resulting conception of equality in its entirety opens a new space for standard development in the international human rights system. The purpose of this note is not to detail the linkages between the Principles and existing jurisprudence. Instead, it provides background and draws attention to some of the strengths of the Declaration which would allow it to be described as a step forward in promoting equality and human rights. The group of signatories to the Declaration of Principles on Equality consists of prominent equality and human rights ex-perts and advocates from many countries around the world. The majority of signatories took part in the drafting process facilitated by The Equal Rights Trust, an independent human rights organisation whose purpose is to combat discrimina-tion and promote equality as a fundamental human right and a basic principle of social justice. Some signatories decided to endorse the Declaration after seeing the final version. The process of drafting lasted for about twelve months. It took the form of consultations, meetings, ...