Ireland Against Racism
Main Page
About Us
News
About Travellers
About Refugees
e-mail us
Useful Links
Site Map
e-mail us

The National
Consultative Committee,
26 Harcourt Street,
Dublin 2.
Tel: (01) 4785777
Fax: (01) 4785778
e-mail

National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism

Report contents:

Preface / Introduction
Work Summary 1998-2000
Contexts
Progress Report 1998-2001
> Annexes



NCCRI Progress Report 1998-2000: - Annexes 1998-2000

Annex 1

Board Members, Staff and Members of Sub Committees

NCCRI Board

Anastasia Crickley Chairperson NCCRI

Mohammed Haji ARASI

Fintan Farrell Community Workers Co-Operative

Christina McElwaine Dept. of Foreign Affairs

Tom Kehoe Dept. of Health & Children

Stephanie O’Donnell Dept. of Justice Equality and Law Reform

Liam Conlon Dept. of Justice Equality and Law Reform

Niall McCutcheon Dept. of Justice Equality and Law Reform

Pat McDonnell Dept. of Social Community and Family Affairs

Danny McElhinney Dept. of the Environment and Local Government

Paul Noonan Equality Commission for Northern Ireland

Deepak Inamdar EU Migrants Forum

Peter Flood IBEC

Donal O’Loinsigh Irish National Teachers Organisation

Conal O’Caoimh Irish Mozambique Solidarity

Seamus Cullimore Irish Representative to ECRI

Peter O’Mahony Irish Refugee Council

Thomas McCann Irish Traveller Movement

Bríd O’Brien National Traveller Women’s Forum

Rosaleen McDonough National Traveller Women’s Forum

Phil Mullen NCCRI

Marian Tannam Formerly Harmony

Martin Collins Pavee Point

Staff

Philip Watt Director

Catherine Lynch Community Development Officer

Kensika Monshengwo Training and Resource Officer

Bronwen Maher Administrator

Education and Training Sub-Group

Fardus Sultan Prnjavoric Formerly Bosnian CDP

Tanya Ward City of Dublin VEC

Ann Costello Clondalkin Travellers Development Group

Bernadette Crawford Comhlámh

Karen O’Shea Curriculum Development Unit

Mary Gannon Curriculum Development Unit

Blanca Blanco YARD

Rhona McSweeney Dept. of Education and Science

Seán MacNamara Dept. of Education and Science

Breda Naughton Directorate for Asylum Support Services

Donal O’Loinsigh Irish National Teachers Organisation

Mahin Sefidash Irish Refugee Council

Thomas Tichelmann National Committee for Development Education

Fergus Dolan National Adult Literacy Agency

Philip Watt NCCRI

Phil Mullen NCCRI

Kensika Monshengwo NCCRI

Catherine Lynch NCCRI

Annette Dolan Teachers’ Union of Ireland

Rory McDaid Union of Students of Ireland

 

 

 

Refugee and Asylum Seeker Sub Committee

Peter O’Mahony Irish Refugee Council (Chairperson)

Juliette Cunliffe A Part of Ireland Now

Ann Moroney Access Ireland

Dier Tong ARASI

Josephine Olusola ARASI

Catherine Kenny Irish Council for Civil Liberties Women’s Committee

David Joyce Irish Congress of Trade Unions

Katriona Goldstone Formerly Irish Association of Minority Ethnic Women

James Stapleton Irish Refugee Council

John Dardis SJ Jesuit Refugee Service Ireland

Brendan Hennessy NASC - Irish Immigrant Support

Philip Watt NCCRI

Kensika Monshengwo NCCRI

CatherineLynch NCCRI

Gabriel Ohkenla Pan African Organisation

Joan Roddy Refugee Project, ICJP

Michael Murray Spiritan Asylum Services Ireland

Brian Ruane Trócaire

Breege Keenan Vincentian Refugee Centre

Brian Moore Vincentian Refugee Centre

Women’s Sub Committee

Anastasia Crickley NCCRI (Chairperson)

Fardus Sultan Prnjavoric Formerly Bosnian CDP

Olga Baliakina Access Ireland

Josephine Olusola ARASI

Catherine Kenny Irish Council for Civil Liberties

Ronit Lentin Formerly Irish Association of Minority Ethnic Women

Mahin Sefidvash Irish Refugee Council

Catherine Joyce Irish Traveller Movement

Rachel Doyle National Traveller Women’s Forum

Maeve Healy National Women’s Council of Ireland

Anastasia Crickley NCCRI

Catherine Lynch NCCRI

Marian Tannam formerly Harmony

Phil Mullen NCCRI

Victoria Chan Women from Minorities Europe

International Sub Committee

Fintan Farrell Community Workers Co-operative

Ann Scully Mercy Justice Office

Rachel Doyle National Traveller Women’s Forum

Anastasia Crickley NCCRI

Catherine Lynch NCCRI

Philip Watt NCCRI

Staffing Sub Committee

Hugh Frazer Combat Poverty Agency

Fintan Farrell Community Workers Co-operative

Anastasia Crickley NCCRI

Philip Watt NCCRI  

Annex 2

Definitions

Racism

The UNESCO and UN declarations on racism and racial prejudice are the most widely acknowledged definitions of racism and give a clear statement that racism is without scientific foundation.

The UNESCO Declaration (1978) states:

‘Any theory involving the claim that racial or ethnic groups are inherently superior or inferior, thus implying that some would be entitled to dominate or eliminate others who would be inferior; or which places a value judgement on racial differentiation, has no scientific foundation and is contrary to the moral and ethical principles of humanity.’

The UN international Convention on all Forms of Racist Discrimination (1969) states:

‘Any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference, based on race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, which has the purpose of modifying or impairing the recognition, the enjoyment or exercise on an equal footing of human rights and fundamental freedom in the political, economic, social, cultural, or any other field of public life constitutes racial discrimination.’

These internationally accepted definitions clearly indicate that racism is more than a set of attitudes or prejudice. Racism is a specific form of discrimination associated with skin colour and ethnicity. It is an ideology of superiority and provides a rationalisation for oppression. It also involves the abuse of power by one group over another group. So, while racism involves negative stereotypes and assumptions it should not be reduced simply to attitudes, thereby equating it with prejudice. The reality of unequal power combined with prejudice enables some groups to treat others in racist ways by denying them access to opportunities, resources and decision-making processes.

Interculturalism

An Intercultural approach believes that the culture of the minority group is important and requires recognition and acceptance. The development of an intercultural approach implies the development of policy that promotes interaction, understanding and integration among and between different cultures and ethnic groups on the assumption that ethnic diversity can enrich society, without glossing over issues such as racism.

The concept of interculturalism has evolved over time and is now replacing earlier concepts such as policies based on assimilation and increasingly interculturalism is replacing the concept of multiculturalism. The assimilationist approach viewed ethnic diversity as divisive and conflictual and tended to assume that minority groups were deficient, deprived and lacking in cultural capital. The assimilationist approach promoted the absorption of minorities into the dominant culture in the belief that that the socialisation of all into a shared value system was the only way forward. The aim of this approach was to make minority ethnic groups as invisible as possible.

The multicultural approach marked an important progression from the assimilationist approach and acknowledged the need for the recognition and celebration of different cultures and economic and social support for their integration into society. However, multiculturalism has been criticised as continuing to advocate that it was up to minorities to change and adapt in order to succeed, without any significant acknowledgement that racism exists and needs to be challenged through public policy. The emphasis of the multicultural approach is on the need for ‘toleration’ and ‘better community relations’ rather than acknowledging the need to change the negative attitudes and practices of the majority population.

The concept of interculturalism is widely advocated by the European Commission in its policy statements and through specific programmes. Intercultural approaches are increasingly being applied to policy areas in Ireland, particularly in relation to education policy. One of the key challenges facing the National Consultative Committee is to work to ensure that the concept is more widely understood and applied as a principle in informing the design implementation and review of public policy.

Annex 3

Protocol for political Parties

The following parties have signed the Protocol for Political parties:

Fianna Fáil

Fine Gael

Labour

Progressive Democrats

The Green Party

Sinn Fein

The Socialist Party

Anti Racism Protocol for Political Parties in relation to the conduct of election campaigns

Preamble

Political parties who are signatory to this Protocol undertake to ensure that election campaigns are conducted in such a way that they do not incite hatred or prejudice on the grounds of ‘race’, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origins, religious belief and membership of the Travelling Community.

Political parties agree:

  • To send a consistent and clear message to their constituents that they reject racism.

  • To condemn any campaign materials or statements susceptible to incite hatred or express prejudice on the grounds of ‘race’, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origins, religious belief and membership of the Travelling Community.

  • To guarantee that when engaging in on-going debate in relation to groups which are the potential targets of racism, such as asylum seekers and refugees and Travellers, that such debate is conducted in a responsible way and with respect to the dignity and rights of minority ethnic groups.

  • To use appropriate and inclusive language and words when referring to people of different ethnic backgrounds, in order to avoid creating prejudice or confusion.

  • To inform all party-political campaigners about the intent and contents of this protocol.

  • To request that candidates standing for election sign the appended ‘Declaration of Intent’

Report contents:

Preface / Introduction
Work Summary 1998-2000
Contexts
Progress Report 1998-2001
> Annexes


Top of the Page


Main Page | About Us | News | Travellers | Refugees
Government | Links | Site Map | e-mail us