Emma Patterson-Bennett (BrexitLawNI Team)

Emma has the dual function of being the Equality Officer for theCommittee on the Administration of Justice and Equality Coalition Coordinator. The Equality Coalition is a membership organisation co-convened by the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) and UNISON. Before taking up the Equality Coalition role Emma was employed by the Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) and the Older People’s Advocate NI (OPA). Emma is currently on secondment to UNISON the trade union until September 2017.

Emma studied Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Portsmouth and then completed her Masters in Criminal Justice at Queens University Belfast.

Emma is a feminist and is involved in the women’s movement; her particular interest is women’s role in post- conflict NI and the advancement of women in public and political life. Emma co- authored the Gender Principles for Dealing with the Legacy of the Past in NI with the Gender Integration Group.

Emma has previously been secretariat to the All Party Working Group on 1325 women, peace and security at the Northern Ireland Assembly. For CAJ she led on the shadow report for the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in July 2013.