Jillian van Turnhout (née Hassett; born 29 March 1968) is an Irish children's rights advocate and served as an independent member of Seanad Éireann from 2011 to 2016.

On each of the four occasions that she was appointed, she was nominated by the Community and Voluntary Pillar on behalf of the NYCI and then the Children's Rights Alliance, where she was involved in Social Affairs, External Relations and Communications.

She represented the EESC on the EU-China Round Table for six years,[21] and on the Steering Group of the EU Forum on the Rights of the Child.

[25] She was also named Senator of the Year by Miriam Lord, writer and columnist with The Irish Times, who said "Van Turnhout's work in the area of child protection puts her in a select band of parliamentarians who aren't living reminders of why the Seanad should have been abolished when we had the chance.

"[26] In recognition for her work in Europe, Van Turnhout was appointed Honorary President of the Europa Society in University College Cork for 2016–2017.