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what we do

The first Forum meeting was held on 18 December 2006. Our terms of reference are:

“To produce agreed recommendations to inform the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission’s advice to Government on the scope for defining, in Westminster legislation, rights supplementary to those in the European Convention on Human Rights, to reflect the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland, drawing as appropriate on international human rights instruments and experience. These additional rights to reflect the principles of mutual respect for the identity and ethos of both communities and parity of esteem, and – taken together with the ECHR – to constitute a Bill Rights for Northern Ireland.”

The Forum meets on a regular basis and has created working groups to examine and report on specific areas of Human Rights.  

The Secretary of State has extended the date for the presentation of the Forum's final reommendations to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.  It has been extended by three months to 31 March 2008.  The Secretary of State's response to the Chair's recent progress report is also available.

Letter from the Secretary of State on Outreach funding (PDF, 360KB)(opens in a new window)

Letter of extension from the Secretary of State (PDF 176KB)(opens in a new window)

Response from the Secretary of State on progress(PDF, 334KB)(opens in a new window)

An online brochure on the work of the forum is also available.

Bill of Rights Forum Brochure (PDF 122KB)(opens in a new window)