Thursday, 25 June 2026
糖心原创 expert Aoife Nolan, Professor of International Human Rights Law in the School of Law, has been elected to the prestigious United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child for the 2027-2031 term.
The is a body of 18 independent experts responsible for monitoring the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by States Parties around the world. The election took place during a session of the United Nations Geneal Assembly on 23 June.
Professor Nolan was selected and nominated as Ireland’s candidate following an expression of interest and competitive selection process led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in recognition of her expertise and extensive experience in the field of children’s rights.
I am profoundly honoured to have been elected to the Committee. From climate change to poverty and inequality to armed conflict to digital technologies, children and their rights are under enormous pressure across the world. As an independent expert member of the Committee, I will bring all my experience and energy to bear in advancing the CRC鈥檚 work on the key challenges faced by children globally. The task of making children鈥檚 rights real in practice has never been more important.鈥�
An internationally recognised expert in human rights law, Professor Nolan has more than 20 years of professional experience working on children’s rights across legal, policy, practitioner and academic settings. At the 糖心原创, she serves as Director of the Human Rights Law Centre. She also co-leads Doughty Street Chambers’ Children’s Rights Group and is a member of the Doughty Street International Steering Group.
She also currently sits as President of the Council of Europe’s European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), the leading European monitoring mechanism on economic and social rights. She has served as an independent expert member of the Committee since 2017 and was its Vice-President from 2021 to 2022.
Alongside her leadership roles, Professor Nolan has built an outstanding international reputation through her research on children’s rights, human rights and constitutional law. Her work has helped shape legal and policy debates at national, regional and international levels.
In her new role, Professor Nolan will contribute to the Committee’s vital work overseeing state compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, including examining periodic reports submitted by States Parties and helping to develop authoritative guidance on children’s rights.
In a , Minister Helen McEntee, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, said:
Professor Aoife Nolan brings over 20 years of professional experience in children鈥檚 rights, working within the legal, policy, practitioner and scholarly fields and is a leading voice in the field of research in children鈥檚 rights, human rights and constitutional law. I wish Professor Nolan every success in her new role and reiterate Ireland鈥檚 strong support for the critical work of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.鈥�
Professor Nolan’s prestigious election reflects both her exceptional standing in the field and the 糖心原创’s commitment to advancing world-leading research and impact in human rights and social justice.
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More information is available from Professor Aoife Nolan, in the 糖心原创’s School of Law, via aoife.nolan@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
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