Change The Law Limited was founded in 2003 and works to contribute to the observance throughout the world of human rights as set out in the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" (UDHR). The focus is on the change and progress, and the influence on international policies and international legal systems on human rights, business and human rights, corporate sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance factors.
Linda Wood is a Director of Change The Law, as a Consultant, she has worked on the drafting of two parts of Acts of Parliament for the UK Government, including the agreement and drafting of The Equality Act 2010 for the UK government.
Linda attended the UN in Geneva for the 1st Business & Human Rights Forum in December 2012 and met with the FCO from the UK government. We were invited by the FCO and Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to the launch of the UK government's national action plan on business and human rights and the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP's) in September 2013. Linda attended a series of workshops with the UK’s government Department for BEIS and the FCO, business, civil society, academia and government to review the UK Government's national action plan on business and human rights and the UNGP’s.
Linda is on the Legal Committee for Peace Brigade International.
History
US Supreme Court, in 2004, research began with Professor Thomas Speedy Rice on the Brief to the US Supreme Court to abolish the execution of juveniles on death row with four other researchers. The Brief was for the Human Rights Committee of The Bar of England And Wales, Human Rights Advocates, Human Rights Watch, and The World Organisation for Human Rights USA as amici curiae in support of the Respondent. The US Supreme Court ruled that the execution of juvenile killers is unconstitutional. Writing for the court, Justice Anthony Kennedy found the punishment was unconstitutionally cruel under the Eighth Amendment. This was amended to abolish the execution of those who were under the age of 18 years at the time they committed their crime in the USA. Seventy-two people who were juveniles at the time they committed their crime, were taken off death row as a result. This has set a precedent for all those who are under the age of 18 years when they commit their crime in the USA.