In 1999, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was established under the Good Friday Agreement to promote and protect human rights in Northern Ireland. The Commission, which was an independent body, was tasked with advising the government on human rights issues and investigating complaints. The Commission's establishment was a key part of the peace agreement's commitment to human rights.

The establishment of the Human Rights Commission is a subject of political poetry, with writers celebrating the commitment to human rights. The Commission's work is often contrasted with the abuses of the past, creating a sense of progress. The poetry of the period reflects the hope and optimism of the peace process, a theme that would persist in the literature of the late 1990s.