NI Civil Society Joint shadow report to UN Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Committee

February 4, 2025

The Human Rights Consortium has submitted an updated shadow report to the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in advance of the upcoming review of the United Kingdom’s compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

This report was developed in collaboration with a range of Consortium member organisations from across Northern Ireland civil society. It provides further updated evidence and commentary on the status in Northern Ireland of the Economic , Social and Cultural rights contained within the covenant since our previous submission to the UN committee in January 2023 (available here).

The report illustrates many overarching themes, structural barriers and threats to the enjoyment of these rights including issues such as resource availability, non-discrimination and intersectionality. It also highlights additional recommendations to those detailed in our earlier submission such as delivering a Northern Ireland Bill of Rights via Westminster legislation and adherence to the Windsor Framework Article 2 commitments, the Two-Child-Limit a Single Equality Act for Northern Ireland, and more.

The formal review of the United Kingdom will take place in Geneva on the 13th and 14th of February and Consortium staff will be in attendance with civil society colleagues from across the United Kingdom to brief the committee on the report and the status of ESC rights in Northern Ireland.

The full joint shadow report is available to download below.

We are very grateful for the support of our members in helping develop this report. The full list of civil society organisations endorsing the report, many of whom were involved in its drafting, is as follows:

Human Rights Consortium
UNISON NI 
Age NI
Law Centre NI
Here NI
Women’s Support Network
Migrant Centre NI
Disability Action
Women’s Platform
NIPSA 
The Rainbow Project 
Amnesty International NI
Women’s Resource and Development Agency
Rural Community Network
Unite the Union 
North West Forum of People with Disabilities
Children’s Law Centre
Northern Ireland Council for Racial Equality
Northern Ireland Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Centre for Global Education
Parenting Focus
Huntington’s Disease Association Northern Ireland
Positive Futures 
Conway Education Centre