Unionism and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission 1999–2005: Hostility, Hubris and Hesitancy

Abstract

The Belfast Agreement created an entirely new framework for the protection of human rights in Northern Ireland, the centrepiece of which was the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC). From the outset, human rights activists in Northern Ireland invested much hope in the ability of the NIHRC to help deliver a new rights-based approach to governance in Northern Ireland. However, since its inception, unionists in Northern Ireland have had a difficult relationship with this organisation, and the purpose of this article is to explore in greater depth the relationship between unionists and the NIHRC in the period between 1999 and 2005 during Professor Brice Dickson's tenure as Chief Commissioner. First, it considers the context, powers and remit of the NIHRC, before moving on to explore and analyse the relationship between influential strands of unionist opinion and the NIHRC 1999–2005, identifying what the key issues were for unionists during this period.

Keywords:

• human rights
• unionism
• Northern Ireland
• Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
• Professor Brice Dickson

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on PhD research carried out at the University of Ulster. The author would like to thank his supervisors Professor Arthur Aughey and Professor Henry Patterson, and Carmel Roulston for her helpful comments and suggestions.