About Us
NICEM was officially launched on 8th of June 1994 at the Conference on “Racism and Poverty”, which was organised by the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network and NICEM. The initial idea for NICEM developed from the linkage and working relationship between the Chinese, Indian and the Traveling communities, which together with the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ), have been at the forefront in the campaign for the race relations legislation in Northern Ireland since 1991.
Following a meeting with the then Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, Sir Herman Ouseley, in December 1993, this initial idea was further consolidated, with the founding members extending the consultation to other communities. The new NICEM spent the following two years to agree on its Constitution, as well as to build up a good working relationship with and amongst different minority ethnic groups. NICEM appointed his first staff in February 1996; we now have 16 full-time and 1 part-time staff, working on 7 core-function areas.
