Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has the youngest population of any region in the UK: 27 per cent of residents are under 18 years of age. It's also one of the poorest regions in the European Union, with more than a third of all children living in poverty.
- We work to end child poverty
- We want to ensure that children get a good quality and inclusive education
- We work to protect and promote children's rights
- We are always raising awareness and campaigning for children's rights
Northern Ireland has the youngest population of any part of the UK: 25% are aged under 18. It is also one of the poorest regions in the European Union: more than one-third of its children live in poverty. For 30 years until 1998, Northern Ireland was racked by a political conflict that killed more than 3,500 people. More than one-tenth of these were under 18.
Many children lost their parents or other family members, or experienced and witnessed traumatic events. Following a long drawn-out peace process, and after many setbacks, elections for a new Northern Ireland Assembly were held in March 2007 and there was a return to devolved government. Children in Northern Ireland still face many problems — poverty, neglect and abuse, inequality and inadequate services. Those from ethnic minority groups, including Travellers, face discrimination, and a lack of proper access to education and health services.
Save the Children in Northern Ireland
We've been working in Northern Ireland since the 1950s. Initially we provided a range of services to families and children, including playgroups and after-school clubs in the poorest and most marginalised communities. Since the early 1990s, we've been helping local groups to provide these services themselves.
We carry out research and lobby on behalf of all children in the region. Our work is particularly focused on supporting children who live with poverty and discrimination, and those who've been affected by the long-running conflict. We actively involve young people in all our work. We also work in partnership with small community groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), public bodies and government departments.
More information
- Read our full country brief (PDF 86KB).
- Read our latest newsletter (PDF 5MB).
- Download the Northern Ireland report by Save the Children, submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (PDF 698KB)
- Download Reducing the Impact of Child Poverty in Northern Ireland - A Good Practice Guide for Primary Schools. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Save the Children, two organisations working to end child poverty, funded a study of the impact of poverty on young children's experience of school. Children aged 4—11, parents and primary school Principals across Northern Ireland contributed to the research. This Good Practice Guide is based on the findings of the study.
Nothern Ireland related news stories
- Tuesday 16 June 2009 Save the Children launches its new global campaign to put a stop to children dying in Africa
- The campaign, Make Your Mark, kicks off on June 16 in eight countries in Africa and across the UK and is calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown and other world leaders to put an end to children dying in Africa.
- Tuesday 10 June 2008 100,000 more UK children now living in poverty
- Save the Children's response to Household Below Average Income statistics
- Friday 2 May 2008 Save the Children urges everyone to go Tea-potty!
- This week is Save the Children Week and the charity's 23 volunteer branches in Northern Ireland are hosting more than 100 fundraising tea parties from Belfast to Belleek
- Friday 2 May 2008 Young people to share their vision for Northern Ireland's society
- More than 30 young people had the opportunity to tell key political representatives their hopes and aspirations for Northern Ireland, at a 'hearing' organised by Save the Children
- Thursday 24 April 2008 Save the Children’s Asia Director makes first visit to Northern Ireland
- Dr Balwant Singh, Save the Children’s Regional Director in South & Central Asia has met with volunteers, politicians and schoolchildren on his first visit to Northern Ireland.
- Monday 10 March 2008 Brenda Shankey visits Downing Street to highlight need for action
- Save the Children's new 'champion' - Brenda Shankey - has made a pre-budget trip to Downing Street to highlight the need for more financial support for children living in poverty.
- Monday 11 February 2008 Northern Ireland has twice the level of 'Persistent' Poverty
- A new report published by Save the Children shows that Northern Ireland has double the levels of persistent child poverty in comparison to Great Britain. Here, one in five children is living in persistent poverty.
- Wednesday 12 December 2007 Soft toy promotion at IKEA
- This festive season Save the Children, IKEA and UNICEF are teaming up to ask customers in the UK to join them in helping to improve education for thousands of children worldwide.
- Monday 22 October 2007 Northern Ireland campaigns against poverty
- Two events back Save the Children's campaign to end child poverty.
- Tuesday 19 June 2007 New publication looks at prejudice and discrimination in Northern Ireland
- A new publication that looks at prejudice and discrimination in Northern Ireland is released today.
- Tuesday 13 March 2007 All children need equal opportunities in education
- Conference to promote inclusion in Northern Ireland schools.
