Press release – embargoed to 00h01, Tuesday 19 April 2011
Over one hundred organisations have endorsed a call to reform the promotion and protection of human rights in Ireland.
The call comes in a new report on Ireland to the United Nations Human Rights Council which will be launched by Minister of State Kathleen Lynch TD in Dublin today (19 April 2011).
The Your Rights. Right Now report has been produced by a coalition of 17 leading non-governmental organisations and trade unions after a nationwide consultation process. It identifies gaps in Ireland’s respect for a wide range of civil, political, economic and social rights. The report makes recommendations which the groups say could bring the State’s domestic human rights performance into line with its international obligations.
Speaking at the launch, ICCL Director Mr Mark Kelly said:
“Later this year, Ireland will face a jury of its peers when other countries examine its human record under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review. The issues are clear: more than a hundred organisations have agreed on seventeen areas where there is a mismatch between our international human rights obligations and the reality on the ground.”
“Ireland has a richly-deserved reputation for promoting and protecting human rights abroad, but the State has yet to match its international record at home. We hope that this new, reform-minded, Government will look seriously at the protection gaps identified in this report and introduce more effective national mechanisms to guarantee that its international human rights obligations will be respected” Mr Kelly added.
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NOTES TO EDITOR
Under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the human rights situation of all the countries within the United Nations (UN) is reviewed. This is a new human rights monitoring system of the UN Human Rights Council. It aims to improve the human rights situation on the ground in each of the 192 countries within the UN.
The UN’s UPR review of Ireland will take place in October 2011. In advance of this, ‘Your Rights. Right Now’ has brought together 17 leading organisations: the Children’s Rights Alliance, Dóchas, Educate Together, Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC), the Immigrant Council of Ireland, the Integration Centre, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, the Irish Family Planning Association, the Irish Penal Reform Trust, the Irish Senior Citizens’ Parliament, the Irish Traveller Movement, the National Women’s Council of Ireland, Simon Communities of Ireland, Transgender Equality Network Ireland, Disability Federation of Ireland and the Union of Students in Ireland. In February and March 2011, the coalition held 17 information and consultation events throughout Ireland: in Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Following these consultations – and written submissions to the coalition – ‘Your Rights. Right Now’ reported to the UN in March 2011. The report submitted to the UN is available to download here. To date, it has been endorsed by over 200 civil society organisations and individuals.
Further information about ‘Your Rights. Right Now’ is available at www.rightsnow.ie.