Latest Updates

Northern Ireland is the most dangerous place in Europe to be a woman. That has to change. Everyone – including all men – has a role in creating a safer society.

Would substance abuse be less of a problem if the police were less involved? This is a complicated question but evidence suggests that Northern Ireland could do better.

Climate change and ecological breakdown require collective solutions but that doesn’t mean individuals can’t help - and, in doing so, help themselves too.

Housing stress in Northern Ireland is on the rise. This will lead to more and more people being homeless. There is no single fix – easing this problem requires several different approaches.

A new UU report looks at education north and south of the border. In any such comparison, it’s hard not to focus on the transfer tests.

The Communities Minister has commissioned an independent review of welfare mitigations. Writing for Scope, review Chair Les Allamby says the challenge for the panel’s is to come up with proposals that are both realistic and meaningful.

The latest Annual Statement from the NI Human Rights Commission identifies more concerns than successes. Meanwhile, on top of a series of blockages, Northern Ireland’s effective framework for human rights is itself feeling pressure.

Data is crucial to policy, but NI’s government has chosen not to collect and compare information on bullying recorded by schools. This might be for the best.

The NI Fiscal Council released its first reports last week, one of which is a primer on local public finances. It’s useful simply as a guide to how Northern Ireland works. And, if you look closely, you see how important Stormont is.

These days, Northern Ireland’s schools system is arguably more segregated than the society it serves. This has to change.

The local childcare system fails both parents and providers, with financial pressures approaching breaking point. These failures also hurt the economy. However, there is still time to build something better.

Recent justice reforms made rehabilitation a crucial part of reducing crime. New research says that local businesses are cautious about hiring people with convictions – but are open to change, if they get more support.

Catholic social teaching holds the key to sustaining the peace process and empowering marginalised communities in Northern Ireland, according to peace-building expert Dr Maria Power.  

A new report about the direction of child poverty in Northern Ireland shows the difference that can be made by a robust social security system.

The enormity of climate change and its potential repercussions must not blind us to two simple questions. How will the need to combat climate change affect policy in Northern Ireland, and how will the necessary changes impact our day-to-day lives?

If wellbeing is going to work as an alternative to GDP, Stormont needs to commit to it. This looks increasingly possible.

New research highlights the many things that make poverty persist in East Belfast. Problems are not limited to the expense of food or electricity – a lack of digital access is a problem, even in such an urban area.

This week marks the 190th anniversary of the first attempt to introduce integrated education in Northern Ireland. Colm Cavanagh charts a sorry history.

Many of us feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis, helpless at the scale of it, unsure of what we can do, and yet shocked by the complacency of some and terrified by the apocalyptic pronouncements of others.

Northern Ireland has no limit for the prices of its school uniforms. Costs are far beyond what parents consider reasonable, and should be reduced. A complete reform of what children wear should also be considered.