Democracy And Participation- Pressure Groups And Rights Flashcards
Pressure groups you should know are:
Liberty
Unlock Democracy
Amnesty International
The Fawcett Society
JUSTICE
Description/focus
Liberty
Probably the best-known group, it is a major campaigner and think tank that primarily focuses on limiting government power and protecting citizens’ rights.
Description/focus
Unlock Democracy
This group is concerned with many constitutional reform issues, among which are methods of strengthening rights protection, including a codified constitution containing a bill of rights.
Description/focus
Amnesty International
Investigated and campaigns against human rights abuses around the world. In the UK, it has been involved in numerous campaigns, including over the rights of those in care homes during the Covid-19 lockdowns, defending victims of the Windrush scandal and campaigning for the legalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland.
Description/focus
The Fawcett Society
Campaigns for gender equality and women’s rights at work, specifically reducing the gender pay gap and increasing female representation in politics. Much of the group’s work focuses on research and lobbying.
Description/focus
JUSTICE
Largely made up of members of the legal profession, campaigning for rights protection, especially in the area of law enforcement and trials.
Limits to success
Liberty
The group has frequently opposed government proposals for mass surveillance after terror attacks, which has not always proven popular.
Limits to success
Unlock Democracy
Constitutional issues are not high up on the agenda of either of the two major political parties.
Limits to success
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is often dependent on governments being willing to admit they were wrong and to change their policies. For example, very few victims of the Windrush scandal have been paid compensation.
Limits to success
The Fawcett Society
There is public frustration at the slow pace of reform, perhaps leading many
women to look to the #MeToo campaign and to public protest
instead.
Limits to success
JUSTICE
The war on terror and fight against extremism have meant that the law surrounding the rights and trials of suspects has moved in favour of the prosecution, particularly with the introduction of closed material procedures (the ability of the state to produce evidence that the defence iS not allowed to see).
