Member Article

Human rights barrister appointed to UK Government Equalities Office’s LGBT Advisory Panel

A human rights lawyer at a London barristers’ chambers has been named as one of 12 members of a new Government Advisory Panel which will concentrate on delivering the 75 points in the LGBT Action Plan to improve the lives of those who are LGBT in the UK. S Chelvan, who specialises in international human rights and LGBT asylum cases with No5 Barristers’ Chambers, is the only practising lawyer to be offered a role on the panel. He said he was honoured by the appointment. The Minister for Women and Equalities Penny Mordaunt appointed the expert panel which will focus on key issues, such as conversion therapy, improving access and tackling inequality in healthcare. Ms Mordaunt also appointed Dr Michael Brady, Medical Director of the Terrence Higgins Trust, as the first ever National Adviser for LGBT Health in the NHS. Chelvan joined Dr Brady and other new members of the LGBT Advisory Panel at a Government Equalities Office conference in London this week. The LGBT Conference brought together Government ministers, civil servants and LGBT sector organisations to discuss the work that the Government is doing to improve the lives of LGBT people. Attendees were given the chance to learn about, inform and shape thinking on a wide-range of issues covered in the LGBT Action Plan. Chelvan said: “I am delighted and honoured to be appointed to the UK Government Equalities Office’s LGBT Advisory Panel. I look forward to working with Penny Mordaunt and fellow panellists to deliver on the LGBT Action Plan which will improve, safeguard and celebrate LGBT lives in the UK.” The panel will guide the Government on policy, help to deliver the LGBT Action Plan, act as a sounding board and provide evidence on the experiences of LGBT people, amid concerns that some people have a negative experience within the health care system due to their sexual orientation, along with difficulty accessing mental health services. The 12 members of the LGBT Advisory Panel are: • Catherine Meads, Professor of Health at Anglia Ruskin University • S Chelvan, Barrister at No5 Barristers’ Chambers, specialising in international human rights and LGBT asylum cases • Ellen Murray, Executive Director of Transgender Northern Ireland • James Morton, Manager at the Scottish Trans Alliance and member of the Parliamentary Forum on Gender Identity • Jayne Ozanne, Director of the Ozanne Foundation and member of the Church of England’s General Synod • Lewis Turner, Chief Executive of Lancashire LGBT • Marcel Varney, Assistant Director of Children’s Services at Barnardo’s • Paul Dillane, Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust • Paul Martin, Chief Executive of LGBT Foundation • Paul Roberts, Chief Executive of Consortium • Ruth Hunt, Chief Executive of Stonewall • Stevie-Jade Hardy, Associate Professor of Criminology and expert on equalities and hate crime at the University of Leicester

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Judith Sanders .