Related Information
Securing Human Rights for People with Disabilities in Northern Ireland
Disability Action establishes the Centre for Human Rights for Disabled People in order to bring about concrete improvements in the lives of disabled people. More »
Facts at a Glance
- More than 220 people have been killed in conflict-related deaths since the signing of the Belfast Agreement of 1998. 1
- The number of children in integrated schools is around 17,500, or only about 5% of the school population. 2
- Some 82% of parents personally support integrated education and nearly 75% would personally choose an integrated school for their children if one was available. 3
The Situation in Brief
Northern Ireland is a society seeking to emerge from a long and bloody conflict. The legacy of the conflict remains, conditioning the day-to-day experiences of those most affected by it and their willingness to engage with members of the other community. The achievement of the shared society envisioned in the Belfast Agreement of 1998 will depend on the forging of trust and the rejection of violence between and within deeply divided communities. Inequality and abuse of human rights have had a central role in the conflict.
Creating a society where people feel they will be treated fairly is a key requirement for lasting stability and peace in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, discrimination, inequality and prejudice are still prominent features of life.
Reconciliation & Human Rights Programme Goals
The goals of the Reconciliation & Human Rights Programme in Northern Ireland are as follows:
- Ensure there will be an effective Bill of Rights in place and that key nonprofit organisations are able to protect the rights of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. We have a particular focus on organisations aimed at helping minority ethnic communities and people with disabilities.
- Support organisations working to enable children to attend integrated schools and to promote opportunities for integration in the mainstream education system.
- Help organisations implement successful peace-building projects that can be replicated throughout Northern Ireland and used as the basis for new policy proposals for government.
More Facts At a Glance
- Less than 10% of public housing is integrated.4
- There are 27 government-built walls, fences or other physical barriers in Belfast that mark boundaries between Protestant and Catholic communities, and an additional 10 such structures in other areas of the country.5
- Reports of racially motivated incidents and crimes rose from 453 in March 2004 to 813 in April 2005.6
- More than 20% of the population has a disability – an incidence level higher than that found in Britain or the Republic of Ireland.7
- More than 25% of the population is directly affected by disability issues.8
Continue to read about our Reconciliation & Human Rights Programme in action in the Republic of Ireland »
Footnotes
1, Source: Various sources
2, Source: Department of Education for Northern Ireland
3, Source: Millward Brown, 2003
4, Source: Northern Ireland Housing Executive
5, Source: Northern Ireland Office
6, Source: OFMDFM, 2005
7, Sources: Census, 2001; OFMDFM, 2003
8, Sources: Census, 2001; OFMDFM, 2003