Written Answers. - Conference Against Racism.
Brendan Howlin
Ceist:
113
Mr. Howlin
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
if he will make a statement on his participation in the recent United Nations World Conference Against Racism held in South Africa; the main conclusions reached; and the action the Government intends to take arising from the conclusions of the conference.
[21999/01]
Joe Higgins
Ceist:
144
Mr. Higgins (Dublin West)
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
if he will report on his attendance at the conference on racism in South Africa during the 2001 summer recess of Dáil Éireann.
[22155/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 144 together.
It was my honour to lead a national delegation to the World Conference Against Racism held in Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 8 September 2001. The official delegation included not only civil servants from my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs, but also Deputies McGennis, Fitzgerald and Howlin, the chief executive of the Equality Authority, the chairperson of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism, the chairperson of the high level steering group for the anti-racism public awareness programme, the chief superintendent of the Garda racial and intercultural office and representatives of the Irish Congress of Trade unions, YARD – Youth against Racism and Discrimination – the Irish Traveller Movement and the Association of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Ireland.
Mr. Michael Farrell of the Human Rights Commission also attended the conference as an observer. In addition to having an official delegation inclusive of both State and non-governmental organisations, my Department gave financial assistance to 17 representatives of other non-governmental organisations to attend the NGO forum which preceded the intergovernmental conference. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Deputies who attended and the other members of what was a very hard-working delegation.
That the conference agreed a declaration and programme of action was in itself an achievement. I remind the House that this was the first time a global conference on racism had successfully concluded. Two previous conferences, in 1978 and 1983, failed to achieve consensus. It was my intention that everything we could possibly do to ensure that the conference was a success was done. We worked with our EU colleagues under the extremely able leadership of the Belgian Presidency to agree a compromise on the Middle East brokered by the South African Foreign Minister.
The issues of the historical injustices suffered as a result of slavery and colonialism and their current day legacy also required careful diplomacy but in the end a generous acknowledgement of these injustices was agreed by the conference. The conference programme of action focused around five key themes. These were: (1) sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism; (2) victims of racism; (3) measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at eradicating racism at national, regional and international levels; (4) provision of effective remedies and other measures at national, regional and international levels; and (5) strategies to achieve full and effective equality, including international co-operation, enhancement of the United Nations and other international mechanisms to address racism.
The programme of action discusses the sources and causes of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and calls for concrete action to eradicate them. A large part of the document is devoted to prevention, education and protection measures at the national level, including the concept of national and regional plans to address racism. The programme of action in effect provides a set of principles and a partial checklist of some of the key elements that need to be adopted to develop effective overall strategies to address racism.
There were a number of issues included in the programme of action which are of particular interest to Ireland. These include: the concept of a national plan to be developed by states setting out how they would propose to address racism; the importance of the participation of civil society in general and the community and voluntary sector in particular in the follow up to the World Conference on Racism and in the development of national plans; the role of expert and specialised bodies and the leadership role of Governments in addressing racism; and the recognition in the programme of action that Roma, Sinti and Travellers experience racism. Of further Irish interest are the commitments in relation to migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and indigenous groups. States are urged to adopt or continue to apply all necessary measures to promote, protect and ensure the enjoyment by indigenous people of their rights; to facilitate family reunification, where considered appropriate, which has a positive effect on integration of migrants; and to take all appropriate measures to promote the full enjoyment by all migrants of all human rights.
The programme of action further urges states to prohibit racially discriminatory treatment against foreigners and migrant workers; to enact laws against trafficking in persons, especially women and children; and to compile and publish reliable statistical data to assess the situation of individuals and groups who are victims of discrimination. The document further encourages states to develop strategies to address racial discrimination against refugees and to end impunity and to prosecute those responsible for crimes against humanity and war crimes, including crimes related to sexual and other gender-based violence against women and girls. States are encouraged to develop or implement effective legislation and other measures to protect migrants, with special attention to people engaged in domestic work and trafficked persons; to ensure accountability for misconduct by law enforcement personnel motivated by racism; to eliminate racial profiling; and to protect the privacy of genetic information.
The programme further urges states to implement policies and measures designed to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the basis of religion or belief. The document further calls on states to ensure full and effective access to the justice system for all individuals. The intersection between gender and racism and multiple or aggravated forms of discrimination are also highlighted in the programme of action texts.
