Monica McWilliams

Monica McWilliams
Co-leader of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
In office 1996–2006 Serving with Pearl Sagar
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Belfast South
In office 25 June 1998 – 26 November 2003
Preceded by	New Creation
Succeeded by	Alex Maskey
Member of the Northern Ireland Forum
In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998
Constituency	Top-up list
Personal details
Born	(1954-04-28) 28 April 1954 (age 70) Ballymoney, Northern Ireland
Political party	Northern Ireland Women's Coalition (1996 – 2006)
Residence	Belfast
Alma mater	Queen's University Belfast University of Michigan
Profession	Professor

Monica Mary McWilliams (born 28 April 1954) is a Northern Irish academic, peace activist, human rights defender and former politician.

In 1996, she co-founded the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition (NIWC) political party and was elected as a delegate at the Multi-Party Peace Negotiations, which led to the Good Friday Peace Agreement in 1998.

She served as a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Belfast South from 1998 to 2003, and chaired the Implementation Committee on Human Rights on behalf of the British and Irish governments. She was appointed as Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission from 2005–2011, and was the Oversight Commissioner for prison reform in Northern Ireland (2011–2015). She currently sits on the Independent Reporting Commission for the disbandment of paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland.

She is Emeritus Professor in the Transitional Justice Institute at Ulster University and continues her academic research into domestic violence. She also specialises in conflict resolution and working with women in conflict regions.