The Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) today welcomed the publication of a report by the United Nations compiling the human rights concerns highlighted by the IHRC among others in advance of Ireland’s examination by the UN Human Rights Council under the Universal Periodic Review Process on 6 October 2011. The IHRC also welcomes that many of the serious gaps in human rights protection it had highlighted to the UN form a substantive part of the report.
Dr Maurice Manning, President of the IHRC, said
"In the IHRC’s report to the Universal Periodic Review earlier in the year, we drew attention to serious gaps in human rights protection in Ireland. I welcome the fact the UN, in its summary of stakeholder submissions, has highlighted the majority of our concerns including: the human rights of women, migrant workers, asylum seekers, people with disabilities, prisoners, Travellers, Irish citizen children and people experiencing poverty. It has also highlighted our request for support for human rights education and training and the necessary resources for human rights infrastructure to effectively function in Ireland."
Mr Éamonn Mac Aodha, Chief Executive said
"the UN stakeholder report outlines a wide range of human rights issues that remain to be addressed in Ireland. In advance of the Universal Periodic Review, the Government still has an opportunity to make positive changes in policy and practice, or at least to give firm indications that change is imminent in these areas. We are calling again on the Government to take on board our previous request to make 15 voluntary commitments to improve human rights in Ireland."
15 Proposed Voluntary Commitments
The IHRC is proposing that these commitments could be made by the State in advance of Ireland’s UPR.
National Action Plan for Human Rights
1. Introduce by 2012 a National Action Plan for Human Rights to mainstream human rights into Irish law, policy and practice, and to consider introducing a positive duty on public authorities to promote human rights and equality.
Strong Independent Human Rights & Equality Bodies
2. Reinstate the funding of the IHRC, Equality Authority, and other human rights and equality bodies so that they can continue to operate effectively to improve human rights and equality in Ireland. It is of note that a number of UN Treaty Bodies and Special Procedures have already called for this to be done.
Ratification of Key UN Treaties
3. Sign, ratify and implement key United Nations human rights instruments not yet committed to:
a. In particular, ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) by the end of 2011 and have a properly resourced national monitoring mechanism in place by 2012 that meets the standards set out in Article 33 of CRPD.
b. In particular, ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (Op-CAT) by the end of 2011 and designate a properly resourced body or bodies as required under Op-CAT that is in compliance with the Paris Principles.
Address Key Education Issues
4. Develop a National Action Plan for Human Rights Education and Training in line with the World Programme on Human Rights Education.
5. Ensure all members of the Civil and Public Service receive human rights education and training and work with the IHRC in this regard.
6. Commit to securing a diversity of school type in all educational catchment areas in the State to reflect the diversity of religious and non-religious convictions now represented in the State, and pending this diversification introduce those safeguards proposed by the IHRC to protect the right to education and the right to freedom of religion, thought and conscience of all children.
Protect the Most Vulnerable in the Economic Crisis
7. Pledge non-retrogression on all economic policies and undertake by the end of 2012 an assessment of the human rights impact of welfare and service related decisions on those who vulnerable and disadvantaged.
8. Pledge to address as a priority housing needs of the most vulnerable in Ireland.
Reform Justice and Penal System
9. Introduce a comprehensive statutory civil legal aid scheme with adequate resources.
10. Develop alternatives to custody for the punishment of minor offences and develop, in consultation with the judiciary, a policy directed towards decreasing the numbers of persons being imprisoned for such offences.
11. Provide adequate sanitary facilities in all prisons, including in cell sanitation to ensure the end of ‘slopping out’ and take immediate steps to tackle overcrowding in prisons.
Protect Against Racial Discrimination
12. Introduce a comprehensive system for the monitoring of racist incidents.
13. Recognise Travellers as an ethnic minority and provide sufficient resources for the full implementation of Traveller Education and Health Strategies and the provision of culturally appropriate accommodation to all Travellers in line with Government policy.
Asylum System Reform
14. Reform the system of Direct Provision and implement an independent review process for complaints made by people in Direct Provision accommodation.
15. Eliminate the detention of deportees in prisons.
ENDS/
For further information please contact:
Fidelma Joyce
IHRC
Tel: 01 8589601
Notes to Editor
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a new UN process that reviews the human rights records of all 192 Member States once every four years. The examination of Ireland’s record is a peer-review by Member States at the UN Human Rights Council. The ultimate aim of the UPR is to improve the human rights situation in all countries.
The UN Stakeholder’s Report is a summary of stakeholder submissions to the Universal Periodic Review on Ireland including the IHRC’s report. It is compiled by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The report will assist members of the Human Rights Council in advance of Ireland’s examination before the UPR Working Group in Geneva on 6 October 2011.