The Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) praised the work of the Dignity Project, led by the Immigrant Council of Ireland and the Dublin Employment Pact, to achieve a more co-ordinated and integrated approach to tackling prostitution and trafficking in Ireland. In particular, the Project has promoted greater inter-agency partnership (among policing, health, accommodation and counselling services) to deliver more appropriate services to victims. The IHRC is making this statement in advance of the Dignity Project’s Closing Conference "National and International Experts on Trafficking and Prostitution – the lessons from Dignity Project" taking place, today, Monday 7th February.
Dr Maurice Manning, President of the IHRC said
"the Dignity Project should be praised for its contribution to tackling the issue of trafficking for sexual exploitation. Victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation are victims of human rights violations, every effort should be made by the State to ensure that its laws and practices comply with human rights standards and tackle the causes as well as the consequences of such exploitation."
Participating at the Conference, IHRC Commissioner Rosemary Byrne said
"the Dignity Project has made a major contribution to public policy debate on the need to legislate to effectively tackle trafficking for sexual exploitation and the sex industry in Ireland. It has been the catalyst for developing an innovative inter-agency partnership approach to provide effective and appropriate support to all victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation. The Project has opened up the space to discuss the need to curb demand for sex services as part of an overall strategy to eliminate trafficking for sexual exploitation in Ireland. The opportunity should not be missed to mainstream the learning from the Dignity Project in public policy and practice."
ENDS/
For further information please contact:
Fidelma Joyce, IHRC
Tel: 01 8589601, Mob: 087 783 4939
Notes to Editor
The Dignity Project is a transnational project supported by the EU DAPHNE Programme.
The Dignity Dublin Inter-Agency Partnership includes representatives from:
– Dublin Employment Pact
– Immigrant Council of Ireland
– Garda National Immigration Bureau ( Counter Trafficking Unit – CHTU) (observing)
– Anti-Trafficking Unit (Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform)
– Women’s Health Project (HSE)
– Sonas Housing Association
– Legal Aid Board
– Ruhama
The transnational partners included:
– Glasgow Community & Safety Services (Scotland)
– Klaipeda Social and Psychological Services Centre (Lithuania)
– AE Madrid City Council and APRAMP (Madrid, Spain)