Northern Ireland race relations framework ‘not fit for purpose’, warns Amnesty International

Amnesty International UK has warned that the Northern Ireland Executive’s draft Framework for Race Relations is “not fit for purpose” and fails to meet the scale of the challenge posed by rising racial inequality and racially motivated violence.

Responding to the consultation on the draft framework, which closed this week, Amnesty said the proposals represent a dilution of existing commitments rather than a meaningful step forward and urged the Executive Office to undertake a substantial rewrite.

Amnesty criticised the decision to frame the document around ‘race relations’ rather than racial equality or anti-racism, arguing that the approach risks portraying racism simply as a problem between communities rather than a structural issue requiring action from government and public bodies.

Amnesty further warned that the framework is largely silent on key drivers of racism, including far-right mobilisation, paramilitary-linked intimidation, and the role of social media platforms in amplifying racist content and organising violence.

Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Director of Amnesty International UK, said:

“In the face of rising racist violence, the Executive Office has responded with a strategy even weaker than the failed 2015-25 plan it is supposed to replace.

“Northern Ireland does not need another document full of warm words and vague promises. It needs an urgent, credible plan with the ambition to tackle racism and deliver real racial equality.

“By focusing on ‘race relations’, the Executive Office misdiagnoses the problem. Racism is not simply about tensions between communities - it is about unequal power, unequal opportunities and institutional failures. Government policy must confront that reality.

“Without clear targets, dedicated funding, named responsibilities and strong accountability, this strategy is doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. The Executive Office must go back to the drawing board and start again.”

Among Amnesty’s key recommendations are:

• A reorientation of the framework around racial justice and anti-racism.
• A fully costed implementation plan with clear targets and delivery timelines.
• Ring-fenced funding and annual reporting to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
• Mandatory ethnic equality monitoring across public services.
• Stronger action on hate crime, including law reform and victim support.
• Explicit measures to address far-right and paramilitary-linked racist violence.

Notes to editors:

Amnesty International UK’s submission was made in response to the Executive Office consultation on the draft Framework for Race Relations for Northern Ireland. The organisation argues that the framework should be substantially revised to align with international human rights standards and recommendations from the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.