ICCPR concluding observations 2024, paragraph 5
Plain English recommendation
Government should:
(a) Review laws to identify any gaps or conflicts with the ICCPR. Also, ensure full enforcement of all ICCPR rights in all its jurisdictions, in light of the Committee’s general comment No. 31 (2004) on the legal obligations of States parties to the ICCPR;
(b) Ensure new laws that may replace the Human Rights Act 1998 strengthen protection of international human rights domestically, including rights in the ICCPR;
(c) Speed up the adoption of the Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. This Bill of Rights must include all the rights in the ICCPR, including those that have not yet been accepted by the UK.
Original UN recommendation
Bearing in mind the Committee’s previous recommendations, the State party should:
(a) Undertake a comprehensive review of legislation with a view to identifying any potential gaps in provisions or provisions that conflict with the Covenant and, bearing in mind the Committee’s general comment No. 31 (2004) on the nature of the general legal obligation imposed on States parties to the Covenant, ensure that all Covenant rights are given full legal effect in all jurisdictions that fall under its authority or control or with regard to which it has formally undertaken to implement the Covenant;
(b) Ensure that any legislation that may be adopted in the future to replace or amend the Human Rights Act 1998 is aimed at strengthening the status of international human rights, including the provisions of the Covenant, in the domestic legal order, and provide effective protection of those rights across all jurisdictions;
(c) Increase its efforts to expedite the process of adopting the Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland and ensure that it incorporates all the rights enshrined in the Covenant.
Date of UN examination
03/05/2024
Original UN document
Download the original ICCPR concluding observations 2024 on the UN website.
Last updated on 25/04/2025