About us 

Welcome to the Equality Commission

The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland is an independent public body established under the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

Our vision: The Equality Commission has the vision of Northern Ireland as a shared, integrated and inclusive place, a society where difference is respected and valued, based on equality and fairness for the entire community.

Our mission: To advance equality, promote equality of opportunity, encourage good relations and challenge discrimination through promotion, advice and enforcement.

The Commission´s duties and functions are set out in the legislation for which we have responsibility. General duties include:

• working towards the elimination of discrimination;
• promoting equality of opportunity and encouraging good practice;
• promoting affirmative/positive action;
• promoting good relations between people of different racial groups;
• overseeing the implementation and effectiveness of the statutory duty on public authorities to promote equality and good relations;
• overseeing the disability duties on public authorities;
• monitoring, jointly with the NI Human Rights Commission, implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and 
• keeping the relevant legislation under review.

On 1 October 1999 the Commission took over the functions previously exercised by the Commission for Racial Equality for Northern Ireland, the Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland, the Fair Employment Commission and the Northern Ireland Disability Council.

Since 1999, a number of new pieces of legislation have been introduced. The Commission is now responsible for promoting awareness of and enforcing anti-discrimination law on the following grounds: age, disability, race, sex (including marital and civil partner status, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity), sexual orientation, religious belief and political opinion. For more information please see the Your rights and The law sections of this website. For detailed guidance, also see our Publications section.

By clicking through the menus on the left, you will learn more about our work.