Welcome to the Bill of Rights Forum website
Welcome to the Bill of Rights Forum website. The Forum's final report was officially presented to the NIHRC on 31 March 2008 at 2pm at the Hilton Hotel.
Press Release 31 March 2008(PDF 26KB)(opens in a new window)
Chair's Handover Comments 31 March 2008(PDF, 31KB)(opens in a new window)
Bill of Rights Forum Report (PDF, 2MB)(opens in a new window)
What is a Bill of Rights?
A Bill of Rights is a law protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms to which each person is entitled. Those rights might include the right to life, the right to freedom of religion, the right to freedom of expression, the right to education or the right to good health care. Each country’s Bill of Rights should reflect the particular needs and circumstances of its people. For examples of different Bills of Rights, see the resources section.
Why does Northern Ireland need a Bill of Rights?
Because of the ‘particular circumstances’ of Northern Ireland’s past, people here have seen a need for a new law to protect our rights and freedoms as a basic building block of a fresh start for everyone. In this, the people of Northern Ireland are like other peoples who have emerged from periods of intense violence and conflict. A Bill of Rights can help ensure that the injustices of the past are never repeated and that the future provides equality and freedom for all.
Background
Flowing from the commitments made within the 1998 Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and the St Andrews Agreement in October 2006, the Forum was established to formulate recommendations to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission as it fulfils its statutory duty in providing advice to the Secretary of State on a future Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.