Embargoed
Until Monday 5 April 6.00 a.m.
Irish
Human Rights Commission and National Consultative Committee on Racism
and Interculturalism
strongly
encourage the Government to ensure that the human rights of
migrant
workers and their families are fully protected in forthcoming
legislation
Report Launch on Monday 5 April 2004 at 11.30a.m. in the St Stephens Green
Room of the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin 2.
Immigration is one of
the most important challenges facing Ireland and other member states
of the European Union. The extent to which a state through its laws
and policies provides for and protects the human dignity and rights
of individual migrants and their families is a measure of a just and
equitable society.
A new publication
being launched by the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) and the
National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism
(NCCRI) provides a set of benchmarks from which to assess
existing immigration policy and to inform future policy development.
In the foreword to the publication on 'Safeguarding the Rights
of Migrant Workers and their Families', former UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights, Mary Robinson, stated that 'As a society, it is imperative that we
deal with the issues posed by immigration in a positive, coherent and humane
way'.
Welcoming the joint
NCCRI and HRC report, she said 'The HRC and the NCCRI are
to be congratulated on this timely publication. It provides a
comprehensive review of the international human rights standards
applicable to migrant workers and their families, as well as an
account of the progress being made at EU level in developing
safeguards'.
The rights of migrants
and their families is a multifaceted issue which includes
consideration of issues such as conditions of entry and residence,
work permits, family reunification, freedom of movement, racism and
discrimination, employment, and social inclusion.
Dr. Maurice Manning, President of the Irish Human Rights Commission,
stated that 'in the formulation of the forthcoming residence and immigration
legislation the Government must ensure that the highest international human
standards are applied in all areas of immigration policy'.
Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson of the NCCRI, stated that
"Progress at a European level in developing a common framework for immigration
policy has to date been too focused on the security and control agenda. There
now needs to be a stronger focus on issues such as ensuring migrant workers
and their families do not experience the sting of discrimination and racism
and long term residents are fully supported to become integrated into Irish
society"
The joint report by
the NCCRI and the Human Rights Commission will be launched on Monday
5 April 2004 at 11.30am in the St Stephens Green Room of the
Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin 2.
For further
information contact:
Philip Watt,
Director,
NCCRI,
20 Harcourt Street,
Dublin 2.
Tel. 01 8588000
087 6370557
|
Mary Ruddy
Senior Human Rights Awareness Officer
Human Rights Commission
Jervis House, Jervis Street,
Dublin 1.
01 858 9601
087 6407765 |
Note to Editors
-
This is the first joint
publication by the HRC and the NCCRI.
-
The full title of the
joint NCCRI and HRC report is 'Safeguarding the Rights of
Migrant Workers and their Families. A Review of EU and
International Standards: Implications for Policy in Ireland'.
