I do believe that this inquiry into human rights is crucial and very timely for the committee. This afternoon, I’d like to discuss one specific area of the inquiry that will need to be addressed in detail in my view, namely, equality between men and women. One of the fundamental objectives of the European Union is gender equality, and it is identified as a fundamental right within European law. But of course women’s rights are under threat in relation to Brexit, and we must do everything we can to safeguard the rights we currently have. The powers for equality and employment issues should lie here in Wales. The case for that is stronger than ever now.

European law has been responsible for many of the benefits that have been placed in law. For example, it’s European law that was responsible for expanding the right to equal pay and improving protections against discrimination on a gender basis. It’s European law that’s enhanced access to justice for women who’ve been treated unfairly. It’s European law that has assisted part-time female workers and has strengthened the rights of pregnant women and women new to the workplace. But, of course, in leaving the European Union those very rights are under threat. Now, they may not disappear overnight, but they will be diluted over time, and the gains of the past 40 years will be lost. Given the anti-women climate that both Trump and UKIP, through the statements made by Farage, promote, there is scope for us to be very guarded in this area. Therefore, I think this inquiry can assist us to better understand the situation and to understand what needs to be done to safeguard those rights that have been gained over time.

The inquiry into violence against women and the legislation passed last year has been completed, and I would urge the Welsh Government to implement the recommendations made. There were 14 recommendations in total, which I hope will strengthen the implementation of the legislation on the ground.

The inquiry into asylum seekers and refugees is ongoing at present, and it is becoming more and more apparent, as the committee Chair mentioned, that there are huge problems in terms of the lack of access and the lack of information about basic services that face a number of asylum seekers and refugees currently in Wales. The hope is that we in this inquiry can find a way forward on those issues, too.

I’m very pleased to see the linkages being made between our committee here in the Assembly and the Equalities and Human Rights Committee in Scotland. I hope to see that relationship prospering, and, certainly in light of the inquiry into human rights, there will be an opportunity to share information and to learn from each other. That’s something that I warmly welcome, and I look forward to participating in the inquiry.