Children’s Commissioner Chris Quinn brings children’s rights exhibition to Ballymena

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn

The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, brought his thought-provoking ‘For Every Child… Every Right’ exhibition to Ballymena Library this week, continuing a province-wide tour in partnership with Libraries NI to promote and protect the rights of children.

On Tuesday 13th May, pupils from nine local schools, including Carniny PS, Dunclug PS, Braidside Integrated PS, St Colmcille’s, St Brigid’s, Camphill PS, St Louis Academy, St Patrick’s College and Ballymena Academy, took part in an engaging and interactive workshop led by the Commissioner and the NICCY team.

This marked the fifth stop in a series of events that have already reached libraries in Larne, Derry Central, Omagh, Newry, Enniskillen and Limavady, with further visits planned in the coming months.

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, with pupils from St. Brigid’s Primary School

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, with pupils from Dunclug Primary School

The ‘For Every Child… Every Right’ tour aims to raise awareness of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), a landmark international agreement that sets out the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of every child. The UK, including Northern Ireland, ratified the UNCRC in 1991.

A Voice for Children Across Northern Ireland

Through this exhibition and workshop series, Chris Quinn is directly engaging with young people, encouraging open discussions about how their rights can be better protected and upheld.

The initiative places a particular emphasis on involving children in conversations about incorporating the UNCRC into domestic law in Northern Ireland.

“I am delighted to be in Ballymena Library to mark the start of this year’s tour,” said Commissioner Quinn. “I look forward to visiting more locations this year and hearing about the issues that affect children and young people in each town and school. I am delighted that the partnership with Libraries NI continues to flourish.”

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, with pupils from St. Colmcille’s Primary School

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, with pupils from Carniny Primary School

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, with pupils from Ballymena Academy

The Commisioner continued:

“The best part of my role is meeting children and young people directly to understand issues that are important to them.

“I work with many organisations and government figures to ensure that children and young people’s voices are heard. I’m really concerned about ongoing violations of children’s rights, including child sexual exploitation, barriers to education, special educational needs to poverty and racism.”

The Commissioner has made it clear that incorporating the UNCRC into law is a central goal of his tenure:

“Incorporating the UNCRC into NI law is a key objective for me to prevent breaches of children’s rights. The team at NICCY works hard to promote the knowledge of rights, and we utilise our powers to challenge child rights violations.”

Community Impact and Ongoing Engagement

Since October 2023, over 800 pupils from 150 schools have taken part in the initiative, with thousands more engaging with the exhibition as it travels to libraries across Northern Ireland. The feedback and perspectives gathered from these sessions are being compiled into a special youth report to help guide NICCY’s future work and inform government decisions.

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, with pupils from Braidside Integrated Primary School

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, with pupils from St. Louis Grammar School

Kim Keys, Deputy Head of Service at Libraries NI, expressed the organisation’s continued support:

“We greatly value the opportunity to collaborate with the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People for a second year of exhibition tours, supporting their mission to protect and promote the rights of children.

“We have been grateful to host the exhibition, and it is encouraging to hear how it has reached and positively impacted so many young people as it travels to libraries across Northern Ireland. We hope this year’s tour will continue to inspire and engage even more young people in the same way.”

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, with pupils from Camphill Primary School

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Chris Quinn, with pupils from St. Patrick’s College

Looking Ahead

The Ballymena stop is just one part of a wider movement to empower children and ensure their voices are reflected in legislation and public policy. With more locations to come, the tour represents a major step in creating a more informed, inclusive, and child-centred society across Northern Ireland.

For more information about the exhibition and upcoming tour dates, visit www.niccy.org/children-and-young-people.