Article 2 training programme launched

May 19, 2025

The Human Rights Consortium are now offering specific training on Article 2 of the Windsor Framework.

The training is designed specifically for civil society groups in Northern Ireland to provide comprehensive guidance on the implications of Article 2 of the Windsor Framework.

The Windsor Framework, an essential component of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, safeguards human rights and equalities protections in Northern Ireland through the Article 2 commitment that the UK Government will ensure no diminution of the rights contained in the ‘Rights, Safeguards and Equality of Opportunity’ section of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement
as a result of Brexit.

Since its creation Article 2 of the Windsor Framework has proven to be an important instrument in the defence of human rights in Northern Ireland with the legislation already being used to successfully challenge the UK Governments Legacy Act and the Illegal Migrant Act. It also looks likely that Article 2 could be applicable to a range of scenarios where the UK Government seeks to move away from existing standards protected specifically in NI via the Withdrawal Agreement.

The training being offered by the Consortium will equip civil society organizations with essential knowledge and tools to help ensure that rights and protections in Northern Ireland are upheld post-Brexit. By helping develop a detailed understanding of the Windsor Framework Article 2, the training will help enable participants to identify potential breaches of rights, understand the legal mechanisms available for addressing these breaches, and effectively advocate for the maintenance of equality and safeguards for vulnerable groups across all communities. Ensuring that civil society can play a crucial role in working together to monitor and protecting human rights standards.

The training is being delivered in collaboration with legal academics from Queen’s University Belfast and Newcastle University and funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund.

Further information on the training is available to download below and you can register your interest in receiving the training here.