In December, to mark Human Rights Day, MLegal joined more than 180 organisations across the UK in signing a joint open letter calling for stronger leadership on human rights and challenging recent negative rhetoric from government.
Human rights matter most when they are hardest to defend. At a time when core protections are increasingly questioned or portrayed as obstacles rather than safeguards, this collective action sends a clear message: human rights are essential to dignity, fairness, and accountability, and they must be upheld rather than weakened.
As a UK-based non-profit organisation committed to defending and advancing the rights of marginalised communities, MLegal’s decision to sign this open letter reflects our core mission and values. Founded to challenge systemic inequalities, we work at the intersection of civil liberties and human rights through strategic policy work, legal analysis, and advocacy. We see first-hand how harmful rhetoric and policy choices can undermine protections that many people rely on to live safely and with dignity.
Human rights provide a shared framework that protects individuals, strengthens democracy, and ensures those in power are held to account. For marginalised communities in particular, these rights are not abstract ideals but vital safeguards against discrimination, exclusion, and abuse.
By adding our voice to this open letter, MLegal stands in solidarity with civil society organisations, legal experts, and grassroots groups across the UK who are calling for leadership that strengthens human rights rather than eroding them. We believe that informed advocacy, collaboration, and community engagement are essential to achieving meaningful and lasting change.
MLegal will continue to work alongside partners across the sector to promote justice, challenge systemic inequalities, and amplify the voices of those whose rights are too often overlooked or compromised. Together, we are calling for a future in which human rights are protected in law, respected in practice, and real for everyone.
Read the full letter here on the British Institute of Human Rights website.