The Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement committed the British Government to incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into Northern Irish law.  Consequently, the Agreement is underpinned by the expectation of the UK’s continued adherence to this international treaty.  

This foundational assumption has recently been challenged by political discourse at Westminster, with both Reform UK and the Conservative Party proposing a UK withdrawal from the ECHR.

In response to these developments, this Workshop will explore the vital intersection of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the ECHR.

Speakers include:

Alyson Kilpatrick (Chief Commissioner, NI Human Rights Commission)

Professor Aoife O'Donoghue (Queen’s University Belfast)

Professor Colin Murray (Newcastle University)

Professor Colin Harvey (Queen’s University Belfast, Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission).

The panel will offer reflections on the interplay between the Agreement and the Convention, while analysing the legal and political ramifications a UK withdrawal would have on the peace process.

Attendees will be eligible to claim 2 CPD hours. 

This event is co-hosted with the Human Rights Centre, Queen’s University Belfast.