In Memoriam: Norah Gibbons

Norah Gibbons, children’s rights defender and former President of Eurochild passes away

We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Norah Gibbons, a committed children’s rights defender and former President of Eurochild. 

Norah Gibbons worked for many years in social work in both the statutory and voluntary sector in the UK and Ireland. She was a champion of children’s rights and had a unique insight into child care owing to numerous roles: Chair of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency of Ireland; Member of the Commission to Inquire into Child abuse 2000-2009; Chair of the Confidential Committee of the Commission from 2000 to 2005, and the Roscommon Child Abuse Inquiry in 2009; Co-chair of the Independent Child Death Review Group with Dr Geoffrey Shannon from 2011 to 2012; Member of Acknowledgement Forum of Historical Abuse Inquiry in Northern Ireland.

Norah believed in the value of European coordination to promote children’s rights and contributed to strengthening Eurochild through her expertise in child protection and governance. Norah was proposed as Honorary Member of Eurochild for her years of service to children’s rights in 2015. She took up Eurochild’s leadership as elected President and Chair of the Management Board from May 2016 to April 2018. The Eurochild community honours her commitment to children’s rights. We send our condolences to her family and friends at this tough time. 

Read an interview with Norah Gibbons conducted in 2015 where she shares her professional journey, her lessons in child protection and belief in the value of child participation