Good Friday Agreement - Equality and Human Rights

Equality and Human Rights

The Agreement affirmed a commitment to "the mutual respect, the civil rights and the religious liberties of everyone in the community". The multi-party agreement recognised "the importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity", especially in relation to the Irish language, Ulster Scots, and the languages of Northern Ireland's ethnic minorities, "all of which are part of the cultural wealth of the island of Ireland".

The British government committed to incorporate the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) into the law of Northern Ireland and to the establishment of a Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. Setting statutory obligations for public authorities in Northern Ireland to carry out their work "with due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity was set as a particular priority." The Irish government committed to " steps to further the protection of human rights in its jurisdiction" and to the establishment of an Irish Human Rights Commission.

Read more about this topic:  Good Friday Agreement

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