Alternates

Elaine Campbell, Age Concern; Sheri Chamberlain, Save the Children; Mairead McCafferty, CoSO; Thomas Mahaffy, Unison; Alan Sheeran, Mencap

Observers

Kevin Hanratty, NI Human Rights Consortium; Eileen Lavery, Equality Commission; Patricia Lewsley, NI Commission for Children and Young People; Miriam Titterton, Colin Harvey, Ann Hope, NIHRC; Bryce Dickson, QUB; Sinead Ryan, DFA; Jennifer Andrews, NIO.

Apologies

Michael Hughes, NICVA

Minutes of last meeting

1.   The minutes of the last meeting, as amended, were agreed.  It was agreed that, in future, suggested amendments should be e-mailed to the Secretariat prior to the next meeting.  This did not preclude tabling amendments at Forum meetings.  It was further agreed that future minutes would reflect decisions rather than record discussion.

2.   It was agreed to adopt the ‘interpretative paragraph’ proposed by CAJ, as amended by the chair:

The Forum discussed the terms of reference given it by the Minister for Human Rights, noting that they were taken directly from the Good Friday Agreement.  Forum members all recognised that, in developing a Bill of Rights, they must address the needs and rights of all Northern Ireland’s people.

3.   It was agreed that ‘address’ did not mean ‘accommodate’ nor did it imply a guarantee of delivery.

Human Rights Standards

4.   Following the chair’s presentation on the development of international human rights standards it was agreed to circulate copies of the Bill of Rights provisions in the Finnish and Irish constitutions (in addition to the compilations of Bills of Rights and additional international instruments tabled at the meeting).  It was also agreed that the Council of Europe’s report on the UK’s human rights performance, and the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women would be circulated.

5.   It was agreed that the sector groups would make available their own work on the state of play on human rights within their own sectors. 

Forum processes

6.   There was some discussion of whether the Forum should be planning to draft provisions for a Bill of Rights.  It had been the chair’s intention to leave this option open. 

7.   Communication with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) was raised.  The NIHRC had already indicated it would make available to the Forum the information that it held (responses to the consultation, working group reports etc).  The question of whether the Forum would get feedback from the NIHRC on its ongoing deliberations could be raised with the Commission.  

8.   It was agreed that working groups would be chaired by Forum members, but that parties, or sectors, could nominate representatives who were not Forum members to sit on the groups. 

9.   The number of working groups and the topics for working groups were discussed.  There was support for having separate working groups on children and young people, and on women.  The NIHRC’s previous working groups and their reports were noted as a resource.

10.         The timeframe for the Forum’s work, and its resources were raised.  In addition, the term of office of the current Commissioners of the NIHRC was noted in the context of the Forum’s reporting deadline. 

11.         There was lengthy discussion on how to proceed, after which it was agreed that the Forum would work out both a desirable timetable and budget, and also what could be done within the existing constraints; and that the Forum would start work within existing constraints while simultaneously trying to get extra funding and/or time to do more.

12.         There was discussion of the Forum’s working methods, and particularly about decision-making.  All Forum members agreed on the need to strive for consensus, and that a default mechanism was needed for when consensus was not possible.  It was agreed that this issue would be resolved before the next meeting – the political representatives would each consult internally, and the representatives of civic society would collectively come to a position and each group would then advise the chair of its views. 

13.         Discussion returned to the terms of reference.  It was suggested that the Forum should start with a broad approach to ‘the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland’, which could be tapered in future, if necessary.  It was also suggested that issues around ‘both communities’ had, in effect, been resolved during the consultation process, after which it had been decided to have the wide representation of civic society at the Forum.

14.         As this discussion did not reach consensus it was agreed that the chair would circulate a revised paper on process to Forum members, and would put forward some options for the structuring of the working groups (and particularly for having fewer groups) for a straw vote.

Public Outreach Strategy

15.         This agenda item was not reached.  It was agreed that Forum members would submit comments, in writing, to the Secretariat, by 25 May.

Timetable

16.         The schedule of Forum meetings in the process paper was agreed.  Forum meetings will be held on 29 June, 27 July, 7 September, 12 October, 2 November, 7 December and 14 December.  The 29 June meeting will be a full day meeting.