A beacon of hope

A huge irony was not lost on leading civil liberties campaigners last Monday as they gathered for the second annual Gazette-sponsored Liberty/Justice Human Rights Awards.The presentations fell bang on United Nations Human Rights Day, and they also unexpectedly coincided with the debate in the House of Lords on the government's Anti-terrorism Bill.

As more than one speaker pointed out, the euphoria of 12 months ago - when lawyers were celebrating the successful implementation of the Human Rights Act - had all but melted in the heat of the Home Secretary's controversial proposals.Few in the audience were cheered by the proposed legislation, which is viewed as being one of the most serious attacks on human rights by a British government and as a volte-face from the obligations of the Human Rights Act.But all was not gloomy on the night.

The event again illustrated the amazing breadth of work being done in the human rights field by the legal profession and specialist groups in this country.From the highly emotive issue of euthanasia to the rights of travellers, immigrants, asylum seekers and prisoners abroad, the sheer volume and variety of endeavour made the judges' task a daunting one.

Nonetheless, they produced three worthy winners, and a special award to recognise a lifetime's achievement.

But more importantly, the event highlights how all practitioners in this field are winners, in what is becoming an ever-more daunting and challenging battle.