Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund (NIHRF) is a collaborative Fund working to advance a fairer and more equal society where the human rights of all are protected. 

It also supports the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland’s Social Justice Fund. More information on the Northern Ireland’s Social Justice Fund can be found here.

Applications to the Human Rights Fund are by invite only, and unsolicited applications will not be considered.

Background to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund was established in 2015 with the purpose of helping to sustain human rights work in Northern Ireland.

Four independent Human Rights organisations originally received support during this time, namely:

Practice & Participation of Rights
Committee on the Administration of Justice
Public Interest Ligation Support
Human Rights Consortium

The Fund

Since Fund’s inception, strong, effective networks have been developed between the four grantees, the Social Justice Fund and with grantees’ own networks of members, collaborators, stakeholders, and beneficiaries.

Working both independently and collaboratively, (and in the context of continuing political stalemate, Brexit, Covid 19 and the cost-of-living crisis), the grantees have succeeded in keeping the crucial importance of human rights to NI’s future to the fore.

The Fund aligns with the Foundation’s mission to create a fair and equitable society for everyone and our strategic priority of ‘Driving Equity, Diversity and Inclusion’ under which we aim to:

challenge unfair systems and processes;
advocate for respect and inclusion across everything we do;
be courageous in speaking out on issues of social injustice.

The Fund also complements the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland’s key drivers of working collaboratively to influence policy, advocating for and with communities and, as we move forward, using ‘Impact and Knowledge’ to inform practice & policy.

Values

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund, (NIHRF), is guided by a set of values which complement the Community Foundation’s values. Our values are important because they help us to grow and develop, creating the future we want to experience.

Key operating values include:

Inclusive – drawing on human rights expertise, including those with lived experience, to develop Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund strategy, grant making and learning.
Applying a rights-based approach – adhering to the principles of participation, accountability, non-discrimination, empowerment, and legality.
Collaborative – The essence of the Northern Ireland Hurman Rights Fund is partnership and collaboration based on mutual trust which draws on the strengths of the partners who will work together to advance the Fund’s purpose.
Encouraging Learning – the Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund will support learning between all partners, actively encouraging, listening and being open to responding and adapting.
Courageous – We will approach complexity with courage and ambition and be open to new solutions to entrenched problems.

Core Aims of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund

To support work that protects human rights through international human rights and peace agreements
To give voice and power to those whose human rights are most at risk and to support them to challenge inequality, exclusion, and unfairness
To provide groups and communities with support to challenge, monitor and remedy inequality and rights violations
To share the learning of how human rights-based approaches can successfully defend, protect, and promote rights
To develop and grow strong and diverse networks and coalitions focused on protecting rights

Core Aims of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Fund

To support work that protects human rights through international human rights and peace agreements
To give voice and power to those whose human rights are most at risk and to support them to challenge inequality, exclusion, and unfairness
To provide groups and communities with support to challenge, monitor and remedy inequality and rights violations
To share the learning of how human rights-based approaches can successfully defend, protect, and promote rights
To develop and grow strong and diverse networks and coalitions focused on protecting rights