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Human Rights
Monitoring Human Rights
The ICCL plays a watchdog role by tracking the Government’s compliance with its obligations under human rights law and by ensuring that Ireland is held to account before international human rights bodies.
We regularly prepare legal analyses of proposed legislation or conduct original research on pressing issues to educate the public and decision-makers on gaps in human rights protection.
We also co-ordinate or contribute to NGO ‘shadow reports’ which are relied upon by human rights bodies to get an independent illustration of Ireland’s compliance with its human rights obligations.
In some instances, the ICCL makes presentations directly to the United Nations (UN) and Council of Europe (COE) human rights bodies in order to inform their final conclusions on Ireland. The ICCL’s most recent activities on this front took us to Geneva where we and our NGO partners briefed the UN on Ireland’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Some of our Current Special Projects and Campaigns:
Bringing Human Rights to Life
The ICCL works to improve the capacity of groups representing marginalised communities, in particular to support them to use human rights tools.
For example, the ICCL is working with Amnesty International (Irish Section) on a ‘shadow reporting’ kit to enhance the capacity of organisations to report to international treaty bodies.
Raising Awareness of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is the regional human rights treaty of the Council of Europe. Ireland is one of 46 countries which have signed up to the ECHR and it was recently given further effect in Irish law through the ECHR Act 2003. The ICCL promotes awareness of this Act through its policy and research work, by delivering training on human rights proofing and producing information material on the ECHR.
Calling for Robust Privacy Standards
The ICCL campaigns to safeguard the right to private life in Ireland in accordance with Article 8 (right to private and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights. Current laws protect some aspects of privacy but neglect others. The ICCL is conducting ongoing research on the gaps present in Ireland’s privacy regime.
We are also actively calling for the introduction of better safeguards of privacy in Ireland in the areas of data protection, surveillance and biometric identity. Most recently the ICCL campaigned at the 2008 Electric Picnic in Stradbally Co Laois, collecting over 3000 signatures for an open letter to Minister for Justice, calling for the introduction of robust laws for the protection of our privacy.
International Civil Liberties Organisations’ Statement on Dragnet U.S. Government Surveillance Program
- News Item
- June 13, 2013
2013 ICCL Film Awards Shortlist Announced
- Article
- June 5, 2013
L-R Jim Loughran of Front Line Defenders; Director of 'Mums and Dad' Dara de Faoite; Director of 'The Value of Women' Dearbhla Glynn; Jury Members Kirsten Sheridan, Nicky Phelan and John Kelleher; 'The Rattle of Benghazi' producer Chriona O'Sullivan; Director of 'No Enemies' Trish McAdam and Director of 'The Rattle of Benghazi' Paco Torres.
The shortlist for the 5th annual Irish Council for Civil Liberties Human Rights Film Awards was today (Wednesday 05 June 2013) announced by a jury of leading names in Irish cinema, including Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director Kirsten Sheridan.
The cream of entries to Ireland’s only human rights film competition, the five shortlisted films cover a diverse range of issues at home and further afield.
Announcing the shortlist today, Jury Member Kirsten Sheridan said:
“The five films shortlisted for this year’s Awards run a gamut of themes from the subjugation of women during armed conflict to the empowerment of people with disabilities. The strength of the human spirit and the capacity of a human rights based approach to protect the most vulnerable members of society is a common thread that runs through all of them."
“The Jury would like to congratulate all the filmmakers on reaching the shortlist of this prestigious competition, and we look forward to our deliberations to decide the winning film.”
The shortlist will be the subject of an exclusive Gala Awards screening at the Light House Cinema on the evening of June 20th 2013, where the Jury will announce the winning film.
The Shortlist can be viewed online on the ICCL Human Rights Film Awards Website HERE.
Leading Actors and Filmmakers Announce ICCL Human Rights Film Shortlist
- News Item
- June 5, 2013
Oireachtas Members Told of “Remaining Flaws” in New Abortion Law
- News Item
- May 28, 2013
Our Film Awards Fund It Campaign - Over our target and over the moon!
- Article
- May 16, 2013
http://www.fundit.ie/project/iccl-human-rights-film-awards-2013
Thank you!
With your help we not only reached our Human Rights Film Awards FundIt target of €4000, but SMASHED it, raising €5421 in pledges.
To all who pledged, and to all of those who sent cheques and called the office to pledge, an enormous THANK YOU! We’re so grateful for your support of the ICCL Human Rights Film Awards, for giving us the resources we need to run the project and, now, to put those funds into our other projects which raise awareness about human rights in Ireland.
A special thank you to Jean Herlihy & Brown Bag Films for running a cake sale to support our Fundit campaign, and to Brown Bag Films for matching what they raised – amazing! You can see pictures of the yumminess over on our Facebook page.
We’re simply overwhelmed by the support, positive feedback & kind words we’ve received about this project and our Fundit campaign. Thank you!
We will very soon be announcing the 2013 ICCL Human Rights Film Awards Shortlist, which will feature at our Gala Screening in Dublin's Light House Cinema on 20 June. Watch this space!
Europe Will Reject "Unduly Onerous" Abortion Law says Rights Watchdog
- News Item
- April 25, 2013
Euro Court condemns failure to protect life of miscarrying woman
- News Item
- April 9, 2013
Human Rights Organizations from Across the Globe Call on UN to Protect Human Rights in the Context of Social Protest
- News Item
- March 20, 2013
Read the latest issue of Rights News
- Article
- March 6, 2013
The latest issue of our quarterly newsletter Rights News is now available to read and download from our Issuu reader, embedded below.
Magdalene Women Due Apology "At Highest Political Level" Says Rights Watchdog
- News Item
- February 5, 2013
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