CEHR Wales Committee - Press Release

Neil Wooding, Wales Commissioner for the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR), today announced the appointments of the first seven committee members to the Wales Committee of the CEHR.

The new Commission, set up to champion equality and human rights issues and eliminate discrimination across Britain, takes on the functions of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), Disability Rights Commission (DRC) and Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), with new responsibilities for sexual orientation, age, religion and belief, and human rights from October 2007.

The Wales Committee is a statutory, decision-making committee of the new Commission and will be responsible for overseeing the work of the CEHR in Wales.

Appointed to the Committee are:

Barry Clarke: Barry is a lawyer experienced in discrimination and equalities law. He sits as an Immigration Judge, is a Trustee of Cardiff Law Centre and national Chairman of the Employment Lawyers Association.

Rhian Davies: Rhian is Chief Executive of Disability Wales. Recently Rhian sat on an Advisory Group reporting to the UK Government Minister for Disabled People.

Reverend Aled Edwards: Aled is Chief Executive of CYTUN (Churches Together in Wales). Aled is currently Wales Commissioner for the Commission for Racial Equality.

Clifton Robinson: Clifton is Chair of the North Wales Probation Board and an Inspector with the Health Inspectorate Wales. He is a founder member of Cymru Equality and Diversity Consortium.

Eleanor Williams: Eleanor is a discrimination and employment lawyer. Eleanor is a Director of the Discrimination Law Association and a Committee Member for Barnardo's Cymru.

Dr Olwen Williams: Olwen is a medical consultant working in the field of sexual health. In 2000 Olwen was 'Welsh Woman of the Year'. She is a member of the Broadcasting Council for Wales.

Elizabeth Withers: Elizabeth is a Policy Officer at the National Autistic Society. She previously worked at MEWN Cymru - an ethnic minority women's organisation.

Announcing the first seven Committee members Neil Wooding said:

“I am delighted to welcome such an excellent range of talented and experienced people to the Wales Committee of the CEHR. We have an ambitious mission – to create a society built on fairness and respect, to establish a Wales at ease with itself, a nation comfortable with all aspects of its diversity.

Together and individually the Wales Committee members bring a vast amount of knowledge and reflect the rich social and cultural diversity of Wales. They know the key issues and challenges from across the equalities and human rights spectrum. This will ensure the new Commission delivers in Wales and for Wales.

They are committed to creating a fairer society and I look forward to working with them as we embark on our task of making Wales a better place to live.”