Promoting Justice /
Protecting Rights

Submissions

CAJ regularly responds to government public consultations.  A full list of our consultations submissions is available below.

Accountable Policing and Justice

Equality

Combating Impunity

Freedom of Expression

Protecting Human Rights and the Peace Settlement

International

05/08/2022

Submission to the Committee of Ministers in relation to the supervision of the cases concerning the action of the security forces in Northern Ireland (July 2022)

Our latest submission to the Committee of Ministers was drafted for consideration at the upcoming 1443rd meeting (September 2022) of the Ministers’ Deputies. It focuses on issues related to the deeply flawed Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill, which is currently progressing through the UK Parliament. Download the submission here. What is the Committee...
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15/07/2022

Briefing note – Positive obligations and the Bill of Rights Bill

The Bill of Rights Bill, which will reform UK law relating to human rights, contains some provisions that are theatrical and legally meaningless, but it also contains provisions that will harm the protection of human rights. One of the more harmful provisions is Clause 5 on positive obligations. The proposed changes could increase legal uncertainty,...
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07/07/2022

Written evidence to the follow-up inquiry of the House of Lords Sub-Committee on the NI Protocol

CAJ has provided written evidence to the House of Lords Sub-Committee on the NI Protocol. Our submission focuses on the UK Government’s plans to being forward legislation to unilaterally modify the NI Protocol, with the stated intention of protecting “the Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement [GFA] in all its dimensions”. Our submission, however, argues that the...
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07/07/2022

Submission in response to the Ulster-Scots Language, Heritage and Culture Strategy Expert Advisory Panel Recommendation Report.

CAJ has responded to the Department for Communities (DfC) consultation on the Ulster-Scots Language, Heritage and Culture Strategy Expert Advisory Panel Recommendation Report. As a human rights organisation, our primary concern relates to how this strategy can progress compliance with treaty-based human rights standards. Ulster Scots speakers have been recognised as a linguistic minority for over...
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10/06/2022

Response to inquiry into the effect of paramilitaries on NI society

CAJ has responded to the NI Affairs Committee inquiry into ‘The effect of paramilitaries on society in Northern Ireland’ (which closed in May). Our submission focuses on one key issue – the link between paramilitarism and housing intimidation. Tackling housing segregation in Northern Ireland has been long raised as one of the key factors in...
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07/06/2022

Briefing note on Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill

The Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Bill is currently passing through the House of Lords. The bill largely reflects draft legislation published alongside the 2020 New Decade New Approach (NDNA) deal, which included three separate bills respectively covering provisions related to the Irish language; the appointment of a new Ulster Scots/Ulster British Commissioner; and the...
24/05/2022

Model Bill Team initial response to legacy and reconciliation bill

Comprised of experts from QUB and CAJ, the Model Bill Team has worked for almost a decade to find human rights compliant solutions to the legal and political challenges regarding dealing with the past in Northern Ireland. The group has analysed the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill – which is currently on its...
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17/04/2022

Submission on the UK’s Fifth State Report under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities

CAJ has drafted a detailed submission in response to the Fifth State Report of the UK under the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM). Our response provides commentary on the UK’s commitments in relation to Northern Ireland. It focuses on a number of different key areas including: Irish language legislation; Ulster Scots...
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08/04/2022

Response to UK Covid-19 inquiry consultation

CAJ has responded to the consultation on the draft Terms of Reference (ToR) for the UK Covid-19 inquiry. We have prefaced our response by stating it is our strong view that it is also necessary to hold a Northern Ireland specific public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic, which is independent and human rights...
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05/04/2022

Response to DoJ Consultation on Hate Crime Legislation in Northern Ireland

CAJ has responded to the consultation launched by the Department of Justice (DoJ) on certain recommendations arising from recent Independent Review of Hate Crime Legislation in NI. DoJ is consulting in two phases; the first (current) stage covers the following issues: aspects of the statutory aggravation hate crime model; the use of a sectarian aggravator...
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02/04/2022

Written Submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UK

Every 4.5 years, the UK undergoes a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to assess its overall progress on human rights. This is a peer review process led by UN Human Rights Council, which all UN member states undergo on a cyclical basis. The UK’s fourth UPR will take place later this year. CAJ has submitted written...
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14/03/2022

Submission to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council consultation on dual language street signage

In 2018, the Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council voted for an ‘English only’ street signage policy. CAJ and Conradh na Gaeilge (CnaG) advised the Council that this policy was unlawful, but it was only withdrawn in the face of Judicial Review proceedings. Another draft policy was withdrawn in 2019 after major concerns were again raised....
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10/03/2022

CAJ responds to Human Rights Act consultation

CAJ has responded to the UK government’s consultation on reform of the Human Rights Act. We wish to make it clear that we object to the proposals in this consultation and the proposed Bill of Rights to replace the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), which in our view would greatly reduce the protections currently in...
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07/03/2022

Submission to the Committee of Ministers in relation to the supervision of the cases concerning the action of the security forces in Northern Ireland (February 2022)

Our latest submission to the Committee of Ministers was drafted for consideration at the 1428th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies, which is taking place between 8 to 10 March 2022. In the submission, we outline the UK’s continued failure to comply with its duty to investigate legacy deaths (under Article 2 of the European Convention...
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07/03/2022

Submission to the Five Year Review of the Police Ombudsman

CAJ has responded to the consultation on the five-year review of the powers of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (OPONI). This review has taken place periodically since the the office was established two decades ago. We welcome the accessible nature of the Five Year Review document, and largely concur with recommendations...
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