Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission


Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

established by the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Commission has the following duties: to keep under review the adequacy and effectiveness in Northern Ireland of law and practice relating to the protection of human rights: to advise the Secretary of State and the Executive Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly of legislative and other measures that ought to be taken to protect human rights; to advise the Northern Ireland Assembly whether a Bill is compatible with human rights; to promote understanding and awareness of the importance of human rights in Northern Ireland; to provide advice to the Secretary of State on the scope for defining, in Westminster legislation, rights supplementary to those in the EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS; to make to the Secretary of State within two years such recommendations as it thinks fit for improving the Commission's effectiveness; to do all that it can to ensure the establishment of a Joint Committee with the (proposed) Human Rights Commission in the Republic of Ireland. The Commission has the power: to give assistance to individuals who apply to it for help in relation to proceedings involving law or practice concerning the protection of human rights; to bring proceedings involving law or practice concerning the protection of human rights; to conduct such investigations as it considers necessary or expedient for the purpose of exercising its other functions and to publish its advice and the outcome of its research and investigations.