CiNI briefing analysis on Children's Strategy

Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI) as chair of the Putting Children First Alliance campaigned for children’s rights to be promoted and upheld within the new political settlement for Northern Ireland achieved through the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

For the Alliance one of the central mechanisms by which to ensure its aims were met was through the development of a comprehensive cross-cutting Northern Ireland Strategy for Children and Young People. In 2001 the Northern Ireland Executive announced its intention to develop such a strategy.

CiNI chaired the NGO Forum set up by the Executive to advise on the development of the Strategy. Over the last 5 years CiNI has been involved in the development of the Strategy and remains committed to working with Government to ensure that the Strategy can deliver that which was envisaged by the Northern Ireland Executive – a Strategy which will safeguard and uphold children’s rights.

CiNI has prepared this analysis of the Strategy “Our Children and Young People – Our Pledge” as part of their continuing commitment to the development and implementation of a Strategy which will safeguard and uphold the rights of our children.

CiNI engaged in a wide-ranging consultation with their membership on the draft strategy and it is their response to the draft strategy which provides the benchmark for CiNI's analysis of the current strategy document.