To insert special characters in SQLite in iOS, use placeholders like (also please check which special characters are allowed in Sqlite):
queryString = @"INSERT INTO SHOPINGLIST (QUANTITY) VALUES (?)";
sqlite3_stmt *compiledStatement;
if(sqlite3_prepare_v2(database, queryString, -1, &compiledStatement, NULL) == SQLITE_OK) {
sqlite3_bind_text(compiledStatement, 1, [quantity UTF8String], -1, SQLITE_TRANSIENT);
// Use sqlite3_bind_text for string values. For other type of values, check sqlite documentation.
// .... And So on.
}