What would a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland look like? An information webinar

On Tuesday 12^th January, NICVA invited the Human Rights Consortium to provide an information seminar on the current Assembly Committee consultation, as well as give context to a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

Providing attendees with context to the idea of a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland, Helen Flynn, Human Rights Officer, demonstrated how a call for similar legislation has been continuously requested from as far back as 1964. Throughout the decades since most of, if not all, political parties have put forward agreements calling for a Bill of Rights in some shape or form.

The 1998 Belfast / Good Friday Agreement provided for a Bill of Rights as a fundamental guarantee of rights moving forward. Although multiple consultations have taken place since 1998, none have been successful in delivering a Bill of Rights. In 2020, “New Decade, New Approach” included the provision for the establishment of an ad hoc committee to re-examine the concept.

The presentation provided by the Human Rights Commission examines the current consultation questionnaire and provides guidance on how to approach each question.

Click here to respond to the current consultation (closes Friday, 29th January 2021).

Further information on the Human Rights Consortium and the Make Our Future Fair Campaign, click here.