1. Outline: 1.What is the NIHRC? 2.What are human rights? 3.What human rights issues affect young people? 1

2. 2 1. What is the NIHRC? Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, 1998 ‘Rights, Safeguards & Equality of Opportunity’ Northern Ireland Act, 1998 Sets out what our powers and functions are. We are funded by the government but INDEPENDENT of government.

3. 3 International recognition  Part of a network of over 130 NHRIs.  United Nations Paris Principles compliant.  ‘A’ status.  Representation at the UN.

4. 4 What we do at the NIHRC: Made up of 8 Commissioners, small staff team. Chief Commissioner is Michael O’Flaherty. 4 main functions:  Investigating  Advising  Educating  Litigating

5. Functions of the NIHRC 4 main functions:  Investigating – look into possible human rights abuses, research, inspect prisons eg report on nursing homes  Advising – government departments on how to make legislation and policy human rights compliant  Educating – deliver training, promote human rights education in schools, host conferences and seminars  Litigating – take cases in our own name, intervene in cases to give the human rights perspective. 5

6. 2. What are human rights?  Human rights are the basic rights we all have simply because we are human.  They are the fundamental things we need to flourish and grow and to participate fully in society. 6

7. Where do human rights come from? 7 “Human rights are inscribed in the hearts of people; they were there long before lawmakers drafted their first proclamation.” Mary Robinson, Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

8. Power and accountability... 8

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10. Human rights law 10

11. UN Treaties that the UK has signed ICERD International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965) ICCPRInternational Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) ICESCRInternational Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) CEDAWConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) CATConvention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984) CRCConvention on the Rights of the Child (1989) CRPDConvention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) 11

12. 12 The ECHR and the HRA European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) 1950  Treaty of the Council of Europe  European Court of Human Rights, Strasbourg Human Rights Act (1998)  The UK government passed this law to make the ECHR accessible in the UK courts.  Aims to create a ‘culture of rights’ in the UK.

13. What is a public authority? 13

14. 14 3. What human rights issues affect young people? 1.What are the main issues that you think are affecting young people’s lives where you live? 2.Can you link those issues to the human rights we have discussed? 3.What do you think public authorities should be doing about them?

15. Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission Temple Court 39 North Street Belfast BT1 1NA Tel: (028) 9024 3987 Fax: (028) 9024 7844 www.nihrc.org Facebook.com/nihrc Twitter: @nihrc Thanks for your participation. www.nihrc.org