NI: Stormont collapse has left human rights in limbo, watchdog warns
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Les Allamby
The collapse of Stormont has left outstanding human rights issues to “drift indefinitely”, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) has said.
The commission’s 2019 annual statement warns that there has been “no progress” over the course of the year on “substantial, lengthy and broad-based” issues.
Chief commissioner Les Allamby said: “The absence of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly has practical consequences that extend beyond politics.”
He highlighted concerns about healthcare provision and homelessness, noting that there were 205 homeless deaths in Northern Ireland in a recent 18-month period - making up more than a quarter of all homeless deaths in the UK over the same period.
Mr Allamby said: “Our 2019 annual statement demonstrates that not one human rights concern has been effectively resolved in Northern Ireland.
“Whilst we welcome the movement on human rights compliant laws around termination of pregnancy, the introduction of same sex marriage, and redress for victims of historical institutional abuse, so many other issues affecting victim rights, housing and healthcare remain unresolved.
“The UK Government has a legal obligation to tackle these outstanding human rights issues, outlined in today’s report, without hesitation.”
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