Jillian van Turnhout

Who is Jillian van Turnhout?

Jillian van Turnhout is an Irish children's rights activist and a member of Seanad Éireann.

She has previously been Chief Commissioner of the Irish Girl Guides; President of the National Youth Council of Ireland and is a member of the National Youth Work Advisory Committee. She was also Secretary General of the ECB-BEC and is the former Chief Executive of the Children's Rights Alliance.

While a Senator, Van Turnhout undertakes a number of volunteer roles including Chair of Early Childhood Ireland; Vice Chairperson of the European Movement Ireland; a Board member of Women for Election; and a Director of the Irish Girl Guides Trust Corporation Limited.

Van Turnhout was a member and Vice President of the European Economic and Social Committee. She was first nominated in 1998 by the Community and Voluntary Pillar on behalf of the NYCI to the EESC and was appointed by the Government. For a two-year period between 2006 and 2008, she was Vice President where she was involved in Social Affairs, External Relations and Communications. Representing the EESC, she was on the Steering Group of the EU Forum on the Rights of the Child and the EU-China Round Table.