International conference "The role of NHRIs in conflict and post-conflict situations"

1. Presentation to international conference –
the role of NHRIs in Conflict: experience and
lessons learned, October 2015
Les Allamby, Chief Commissioner
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

2. The context of Northern Ireland
 Human rights – a contested space politically and
sometimes publicly
 A post conflict society with many narratives dealing
with the past.
 Moral issues e.g. sexual orientation, abortion,
discrimination
 Economic and social rights and a clash with political
mandates
 Debate between rights and responsibilities
 A hostile media

3. About the Commission
 A National Human Rights Institution accredited with
‘A’ status at United Nations
 Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement 1998
 Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Justice and Security
(NI) Act 2007
 Paris Principles – a pluralist and independent
Commission
 8 Commissioners + staff

4. Powers and Functions
 Four main functions
1. Investigations
2. Promotion – Research and Education
3. Advising
4. Litigation

5. Strategic Priorities
 Building and embedding a human rights culture to
protect people in Northern Ireland
 Promoting economic and social rights
 Focusing upon the most marginalised and vulnerable
in Northern Ireland
 Recognising that Northern Ireland is coming out of
conflict and must deal with the past.

6. A Human Rights Culture
 Bill of rights + Charter of Rights
 Partnership with the Irish Human Rights and Equality
Commission and UK NHRIs
 Harmonisation of national law with international
obligations e.g. European Convention of Human
Rights
 Promoting human rights as a tool for policy and
decision-making. E.g. training for public sector
(including Civil Service, Police Service NI)
 Capacity building and support for NGOs

7. Promoting economic and social rights
 Advice to the Northern Ireland Assembly and
Executive (e.g. programme for government, health
care and social security reform)
 Legal services and strategic litigation (Adoption,
terminations, access to medical treatment,
employment rights)
 Investigations (health care in emergency
departments)
 Research (children in care, the rights of carers)

8. The most marginalised and vulnerable
 Investigations (immigration and no recourse to public
funds, hate crime, women and prisons)
 Advice to government (travellers, disabled, children)
 Accessing place of detention (prisons, immigration
detention centres and mental health hospitals)

9. Coming out of conflict
 Role of an NHRI
 Transitional Justice (legacy of the past + reconciliation)
 Victims and Survivors (truth and justice – inquests and
inquiries)
 Ex-combatants (DDR)
 Experience and Lessons learned
 Cannot avoid contentious issues but find some areas that have
popular support
 Must be credible and rely on universality of human rights
standards
 Communicate effectively and show the practical value of human
rights
 Be resolute, resilient and independent
 Recognise that building political and public support may take time
 Utilise the international human rights stage

10. Northern Ireland Human Rights
Commissions
 Temple Court
 39 North Street
 Belfast
 BT1 1NA
 Tel: +44 (0) 2890 243987
 Fax: +44 (0) 02890 247844
 Email: Les.Allamby@nihrc.org
 Web: www.nihrc.org