On December 9th, CAJ in collaboration with the Transitional Justice Institute, Ulster and the Human Rights Centre Queens University Belfast are pleased to invite you to the launch of the conference report ‘Mapping the Rollback – Human Rights Provisions of the Belfast / Good Friday Agreement 15 Years On’. The conference report covers CAJ’s ‘Mapping the…Continue reading Mapping the Rollback
Category: Bill of Rights
15 YEARS AFTER REFERENDUM, UK GOV URGED TO DELIVER BILL OF RIGHTS
Fifteen years ago today people in Northern Ireland took to the polls to vote in the Good Friday Agreement referendum. From an exceptionally high voter turn-out of 81.1% a resounding 71.1% voted in favour of the Agreement, with all of its provisions. The Agreement was firmly anchored in human rights and equality and a key…Continue reading 15 YEARS AFTER REFERENDUM, UK GOV URGED TO DELIVER BILL OF RIGHTS
Cultivating identity, Depoliticising culture
The flag protests have largely died out and now the parading season looms. Amid such tensions, it is an apt time to consider the compatibility of Northern Ireland’s peace process with the internationally recognised freedoms of expression and assembly. This blog will address only the flying of a national flag and parading as aspects of…Continue reading Cultivating identity, Depoliticising culture
A Northern Ireland Bill of Rights…No Choice Before Us!
Adrienne Reilly – Protection of Rights Coordinator at CAJ and human rights trainer, consultant and activist The Commission on the UK Bill of Rights (CBR) set up in March 2011 to investigate the creation of a “UK Bill of Rights”, delivered its much anticipated report, ‘A UK Bill of Rights: The Choice Before Us”…Continue reading A Northern Ireland Bill of Rights…No Choice Before Us!
Human Rights Day Festival
Monday 10 December is International Human Rights Day. The Human Rights Consortium will be holding a Human Rights Festival during this time, with a theme of ‘Celebrating and Protecting Human Rights’. This will be an opportunity for the wide diversity of groups that work on human rights issues in Northern Ireland to contribute to a…Continue reading Human Rights Day Festival
Shhh… people are saying they support the Human Rights Act
We are delighted to host this guest post from Sanchita Hosali of the British Institute of Human Rights who recently hosted a one-day event in Belfast on the Human Rights Act as part of their #16cities tour. One human rights story doesn’t seem to have featured in this week’s headlines and sound-bites. One which goes…Continue reading Shhh… people are saying they support the Human Rights Act
SECOND CHANCE TO LISTEN: UK BILL OF RIGHTS COMMISSIONS SECOND CONSULTATION
Back in 2007 the Conservative party clearly outlined its vision for the future shape of human rights protections in the UK.[1] It stated that, ‘the Human Rights Act 1998 has not proved to be effective in protecting fundamental rights in Britain…A Conservative Government will repeal the Human Rights Act and replace it with a modern…Continue reading SECOND CHANCE TO LISTEN: UK BILL OF RIGHTS COMMISSIONS SECOND CONSULTATION
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore calls for Northern Ireland Bill of Rights
I was pleased to be at the Alliance Party conference dinner in the La Mon hotel last night to hear the guest speech from Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore TD. He used it to make a strong call for Northern Ireland party leaders to get round a negotiating table to deliver the long-awaited Bill of Rights. It’s…Continue reading Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore calls for Northern Ireland Bill of Rights
Still Waiting for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland
Fourteen years after the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement set in place the groundwork for a future Bill of Rights, the people of Northern Ireland continue to wait. Yesterday, Professor Colin Harvey, as part of a UU Transitional Justice Institute panel discussion on the Bill of Rights debate, likened the situation to Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Certainly…Continue reading Still Waiting for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland
Bill of Rights gets the Presidential Treatment at ICTU Women’s Conference
In the last year, the experience of women in the workplace has become more precarious as the recession’s chokehold tightens. Female redundancy rates are increasing and female unemployment figures climb higher. According to 2008 According to CSO 2011 figures, the figure for unemployed women in the Republic of Ireland rose sharply from around…Continue reading Bill of Rights gets the Presidential Treatment at ICTU Women’s Conference
“Speak to them, Not about them!” – East Belfast Speaks Out: Offering hope for civic engagement across Northern Ireland.
Last Thursday, Feb 2nd 2012, saw the holding of the third East Belfast Speaks Out event with a panel made up of: Minister for Education John O’Dowd (SF), MLA Chris Lyttle (Alliance), MLA Sammy Douglas (DUP), MLA Michael Copeland (UUP) and Councillor John Kyle (PUP) and chaired by the BBC’s Mark Davenport. Organised…Continue reading “Speak to them, Not about them!” – East Belfast Speaks Out: Offering hope for civic engagement across Northern Ireland.
Could a Bill of Rights have prevented bank takeover?
Yesterday afternoon, members of Occupy Belfast controversially “took control” of the Bank of Ireland building on Royal Avenue in Belfast. They claim their move was in opposition to “soaring homelessness, lack of affordable social housing and home repossessions”. Could a Bill of Rights help with these issues? Sub-standard housing, homelessness and repossessions have become a…Continue reading Could a Bill of Rights have prevented bank takeover?