young futures: promoting the voices of minority ethnic young people
DESCRIPTION
The 13th edition of Minority Rights NowTRANSCRIPT
Minority Rights NowISSUE 12 2014 ISSN2042-3942
Believe in ChildcareExclusive look at NICEM and Barnardo’s ground-breaking research on childcare
The lasting impact of youth work for BME young people
Know Your Rights:
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Young Futures: Promoting the Voices of Minority Ethnic Young People
Our Editorial BoardProfessor Tomoya Obokata, Keele University
Tom Obokata is Professor of International Law and Human Rights at Keele University. His expertise lies in human rights aspects of migration, particularly trafficking of human beings. He has extensive research and consultancy experience on the subject and currently advises the Northern Ireland Assembly All Party Group on Human Trafficking.
Dr Rory O’Connell, Queen’s University Belfast
Dr Rebekah Delsol, Open Society Justice Initiative
Kevin Doherty, Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Phil Mawhinney
Our Editorial StaffMonica Anand, Policy Intern, NICEM
Mark Caffrey, Community Development Officer, NICEM
Lizzie Dass, Policy Intern, NICEM
Jolena Flett, Manager, Belfast Migrant Centre
Helena Macormac, Strategic Advocacy Project Manager, NICEM
Paul McGlinchey, Legal Policy Officer, NICEM
Elizabeth Nelson, Parliamentary and Campaigns Officer, NICEM
Max Petrushkin, Community Development Officer, NICEM
Sophie Romantzoff, Community Development Officer, NICEM
Dr. Rebekah Delsol coordinates the Open Society Justice Initia-tive’s project on “Ethnic Profil-ing.” Rebekah completed her doctoral studies in sociology at the University of Warwick with a thesis examining the utility of the concept of institutional racism in explaining racial disparities in stop and search practice in four police forces in the United King-dom and the United States.
Rory O’Connell is Professor of Human Rights and Constitutional Law and Director of the Transitional Justice Institute / School of Law, University of Ulster. He has widely published on human rights, including socio-economic rights, equality and discrimination law. From 2001- 2013 he was a member of the Human Rights Centre, School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast. Rory tweets on human rights, constitutional law and equality @rjjoconnell.
Eamonn McCann
Kevin Doherty works for the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Migrant Workers Support Unit, which pro-vides advice and representation to migrant workers on employ-ment relatd matters, exposes mistreatment of migrant workers, campaigns for legislative reform and improvement in the service to migrant workers from statutory bodies, challenges racist attitudes in the workplace and promotes inclusion.
Phil is the Policy & Participa-tion Officer at Community Action Southwark where he provides policy support to the 2,000 volun-tary and community organisations in the ethnically diverse south London borough of Southwark. He was previously a researcher at the race equality think-tank the Runnymede Trust, where he investigated ethnic inequalities among older black and minority ethnic people. Phil is originally from Belfast, stuyding Human Geography at Queen’s University and the University of Edinburgh.
Eamonn McCann is an author, journalist and political activist. Passionate about social justice, he has been campaigning in Derry for more than 40 years. He currently writes for the Belfast Telegraph and the Derry journal, as well as being a frequent commentator on the BBC, RTÉ and other broadcast media. A lifelong socialist and trades unionist, he is a member of the National Executive of the NUJ.
Front Cover ArtworkCopyright Clinton Kirkpatrick, 2013
This is a painting I made last year in Kenya at the end of 2012. The original concept came from a place where I was making work in Kenya called 'Site'. Every day I was surrounded by kids and got to witness their antics. One day in particular, they all began to jump on top of one another as they were playing . There were limbs and body parts that, to me, all seemed to be one moving mass. And so a drawing was born which later became this painting.www.clintonkirkpatrick.com
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From the Editor
It is often said that children are our future. But are children and young people not also our present? Their rights
must be protected and upheld with the same vigour as those of adults.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a sort of bill of rights for children. The UK Government has signed this treaty, and because of this, has to adhere to all of its principles – from access to healthcare for children, to having a say in their education, to right to freedom of expression, to the vital right to participate in decisions made about and for them.
In 2016, the UK will be examined by the UNCRC Committee on how well it has deepened and protected rights for children and young in its jurisdictions. To raise awareness on this issue, many of the articles in this edition look at how local communities can get involved in the reporting process.
One of the issues of vital concern for our communities is access to childcare provision. NICEM, in partnership with Barnardo’s NI, carried out action research within local communities, and its findings are presented here. This research is crucial
in terms of developing better outcomes for children and young people, and we will continue to lobby politicians and decision makers to take action.
There is a wealth of activities for black and minority ethnic young people in our communities Several projects are profiled in our expanded ‘Community Focus’ section. We celebrate the fantastic work being done, often by volunteers, to support and shape our young leaders.
It is the responsibility of all of us in society to ensure that children and young people are listened to, that their participation in our society is meaningful, and that their rights and opportunities are protected and celebrated.
Elizabeth Nelson, Editor
“We were all children once. And we all share the desire for the well-being of our children, which has always been and will continue to be the most universally cherished aspiration of humankind.”
We the Children: End-decade review of the follow-up to the World Summit for Children
Reportof the Secretary-General (2001)
Inside this issue4 News 6 Community Focus: Youth in the arts
7 The lasting impact of Youth Work
8 Breaking the Cycle
9 Feature Article: Believe in Childcare?
10 Know your rights
15 Dramatic increase in newcomer
pupils attending NI’s schools
18 Fear and mistrust:
Young people and the police
19 A Bird’s Eye View of Stormont
A Bird’s Eye View of Westminister
Regional OfficesEach of our regional offices offers an advice clinic as well as a full-time Development Officer to support BME individuals and communities through capacity building, action research and community development projects.
BelfastBelfast Migrant Centre1st Floor, Ascot House24-31 Shaftesbury SquareBelfast, BT2 7DBFor enquiries related to development work contact: Sophie [email protected] 9023 8645
Clinic Hours: Belfast Migrant Centre2nd Floor, Ascot House24-31 Shaftesbury SquareBelfast BT2 7DB
Mondays 9.30 – 13.00Thursdays 17.30 – 19.30For enquiries related to the advice clinic contact: 028 9043 8962
Mid-Ulster and DownOzanam Centre, 14-16 William Street Lurgan BT66 6JA
For enquiries related to development work contact: Mark Caffrey [email protected] 077 307 47 865
For enquiries related to the advice clinic contact: Liz Conor-Kerr [email protected] 075 455 022 85
Clinic Hours:Thursdays 17.30 – 20.00
No appointment is necessary and there is always a Polish interpreter present. Other interpreters will be arranged as needed.
North WestThe Old Church, Clarendon Street L/Derry BT48 7ES
For enquiries related to development work or the advice clinic contact: Max Petrushkin [email protected] 077 307 47 860
or Agnieszka [email protected]
or Aggie Luczak [email protected] 07827297119
Clinic Hours:
L/Derry – NICEM officesWednesdays 17.00 – 20.00
Coleraine Every otherThursday 17.00 - 20.00
Bilingual Support Workers for victims
of racial hate crime and harassment Belfast and Mid-Ulster(District A, B, C, Craigavon and Banbridge)
Joanna [email protected]
Northwest (District F, G, Antrim, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, Armagh, Newry and Mourne)Agnieszka [email protected]
News
Believe in Childcare?The NICEM/Barnardo’s NI research report exploring the childcare needs of ethnic minority communities with children aged 0-12 was launched on March 12th at Brownlow Community Hub with the participation of parents from the research panel and a special guest from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (OFMDFM). The report is the culmination of action research with over 300 families across the Southern Trust and will be used as the basis of a number of initiatives going forward to highlight the particular childcare difficulties faced by black and minority ethnic (BME) communities.
To learn more about the report, and to stay involved in taking the issues forward contact Mark on 07730 747865 or by email [email protected]
Ethnic Minority Women’s NetworkThe Ethnic Minority Women’s Network met for the first time on the 30th of January, as the result of years of work in NICEM around the particular issues for ethnic minority women. The need for a support network became clear in the past year as NICEM prepared its submission to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
The aim of the network is to develop the capacity of ethnic minority women tosupport and assist their communities in accessing services, furthering their human rights and developing sustainable community-based leadership.
Over 100 ethnic minority women have asked to be kept informed of the activities of the network and 30 of them were able to attend its first meeting. Expectations were high and discussions uplifting. The group defined clear actions for future meetings and a steering committee was nominated. The network will meet every second month and any women from an ethnic minority background can join.
If you wish to know more about the activities of the group and get involved, please contact Sophie Romantzoff, [email protected].
In 2014 NICEM is leading a major new project with five European Union partner organisations, in association with The European Network Against Racism (ENAR). The project is funded by the European Commission.
A consortium representing Northern Ireland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Cyprus will be guided by the ENAR Toolkit on Integration as it develops projects that take into account the different experiences of migration and integration for
third country nationals in different realities of migration.
To find out how you can get involved as a non-EU national or community support group, contact Mark on 07730 747865 or by email [email protected]
There was a worrying spate of racist attacks in East and North Belfast in January. In East Belfast, there were seven attacks in ten days against the Polish community. These were condemned by politicians and local community groups, including the All Party Group on Ethnic Minority Communities (APG on EMC).
Later in the month cars belonging to a Polish family and a Slovakian man were set on fire on the Whitewell Road in North Belfast. NICEM’s Executive Patrick Yu spoke against the attacks, calling for political leadership to tackle both racism and sectarianism in Northern Ireland.
At what point does protected freedom of expression end?
In July 2013 the European Court of Human Rights ruled on this issue of ‘threshold’ in Vona v Hungary. The case involved the marching and military-style assembly of Hungarian supremacist group Magyar Garda through a street inhabited by Roma families. The Court held the authorities were justified in blocking the march and that the grounds on which States may restrict assemblies and association under Article 11(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), are not limited to the ‘prevention of disorder’ but also include the ‘protection of the rights and freedoms of others’. They followed Aksu v Turkey, stating there is a positive duty on States to protect people against racist expression, but that groups could not simply be restricted on the basis they created ‘uneasiness’ or were perceived as disrespectful.
In Vona, determining factors included
the paramilitary nature of Magyar Garda, as their racially motivated message was ‘accompanied by the physical presence of a threatening group of organised activists’. Also, the Roma community were forced into being a ‘captive audience’. Action was warranted as the groups promotion of ethnic division seemed a negation of the country’s democratic principles.
The precedent created by the Court confirms that restrictive measures are compatible with the ECHR if necessary ‘to avert large-scale, coordinated intimidation related to the advocacy of racially motivated policies’.
Vona v HungaryIn Vona, determining factors included the paramilitary nature of Magyar Garda, as their racially motivated message was ‘accom-panied by the physical presence of a threatening group of organised activists’.
Racist attacks in North and East Belfast
Integration on the Ground
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BME ParliamentOn Tuesday 21 January and Saturday 25 January, the first event of the new Black and Minority Ethnic Parliament (BMEP) took place. The event aimed to raise awareness of the initiative, and to set the scene with the grassroots work of NICEM with its member groups, past engagement with politicians, and how this initiative is building upon this participation to further embed ethnic minority issues at the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Participants also had the opportunity to hear about the experiences of Age Sector Platform in setting up the successful Pensioner’s Parliament in the morning, and a panel discussion with Rotimi Adebari, mayor of Portlaoise; Anna Lo, MLA for South Belfast; and Simon Woolley, Director of Operation Black Vote. The final Parliament is on 1 May 2014. In February and March there will be three regional workshops, at which participants will discuss issues in further depth and the develop the questions they want Ministers to answer. In order to have a chance of putting a question to Ministers, you must attend your regional workshop:
Belfast: Saturday 22 February 12.00-16.00, Belfast Migrant Centre; focus on access to employment and learning
L/Derry: Thursday 6 March 17.30-20.00, NICEM NW; focus on hate crime
Craigavon: Wednesday 26 March 10.00-14.00, Brownlow Community Hub; focus on childcare provision
You must attend your regional workshop to ask a question at the Parliament, anyone can attend the final Parliament event at Stormont as an observer.
For more info, contact Liz : [email protected]
L-R Rotimi Adebari, Mayor of Portlaoise; Anna Lo, MLA for South Belfast; and Simon Woolley, Director of Operation Black Vote
Barnardo’s Tuar Ceatha project provides a range of family support services to Black, minority ethnic and refugee (BMER) families in the greater Belfast area. One of the specific services is the BMER Toybox programme which is targeted at parents and children learning together. The ten week, individual, home based Toybox service is a home visiting programme that acknowledges parents as their children’s first time educators.
Through the use of play and age appropriate materials, the work addresses child development, language development and positive/behaviour management strategies.
The programme also includes a toy library where toys can be lent out to families. The bi lingual workers can identify additional needs of individual children and signpost them to appropriate services. The BMER Toybox is also delivered in group settings which has the added value of reducing parental isolation and provides peer interaction for young children. For further information please contact the Children Services Manager on 028 90668766
Barnardo’s Tuar Ceatha project
Community Focus
In a community centre off the Shankill Road on a wet Tuesday night in January, 14 young people gathered to rehearse
Act II of ‘The Wizard of Oz.’
This is the scene of ‘Youth in the Arts,’ a theatre-based program for young people that explores important issues in their lives. The programme surrounding ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ encourages the young people to discuss their hopes and dreams, and how to work towards focusing on the positive aspects of their lives, as well as their goals.
Last year, the young people performed ‘West Side Story,’ an intricate and compelling tale of difference and love, and the impact both can have a community. As part of the programme, they participated in NICEM’s Equality and Diversity training, delivered by local ethnic minority community members in partnership with the NICEM staff.
“Doing the training while doing the show made us more aware of the people around us, even just a cross-community level,” said Peter, one of the participants.
“We were able to relate to the play so much more and understand that challenges with difference happen everywhere, not just in Northern Ireland.”
Matthew, another participant, echoed this: “It’s easier to approach people with a different culture now, and you understand that what you do can impact them as well. It makes you more aware.”
The young people agreed the project itself was challenging, both from a theatrical standpoint – there is some serious dancing and singing needed to pull off a show like ‘West Side Story’ – and from a topical point of view.
Holly explained that the project kept them busy, and that there were always things to do. Agreeing with Peter, she also said that exploring the topic of racial hatred while
preparing the show helped them understand it better, and, importantly, relate it to themselves and their own experiences.
One of the ways they did this was a graffiti wall, explained Rory and Anna, which helped explored the issues involved in West Side Story and the training, and ground it in their own experiences living in Northern Ireland.“I know now I don’t have to be afraid of the issue,” Peter said. “Like, you just ask questions.” Another participant, Matthew, agreed: “One of the first things one of the trainers – Justin, from the Ivory Coast – did, was ask us to describe him. The room just went silent, no one knew what to say! But after the training, I know that I don’t have to avoid issues like that, and it’s better just to ask the person what makes them comfortable.”
When asked what equality and diversity means to them now, after this experience, Nathan seemed to sum up the feelings of the entire group when he said: “Diversity means difference, but equality means you can have difference, but still see everyone as equal.”
The participants and trainers from Youth in the Arts celebrate a successful project
Youth in the Arts
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Vito Jocys moved to Northern Ireland from Lithuania aged 11. Now 19, he reflects on his experiences of the
South Eastern Education and Library Board BME Youth Project and the lasting impact of youth work.
I joined BME Youth when I was 13. I found out about it through my school – a worker from the SEELB came in to talk to all the BME kids and invited us to join. At first I wasn’t that interested. It was only later when a couple of friends joined that I started to go along. There were only six or seven of us then and we would meet in the library and work on little projects.
Did the young people have any part in shaping the group?Yes, we arranged the advertising ourselves, designed the leaflets, encouraged more people to take part. We wanted a homework club and so all the young people helped with homework – that definitely had an impact on language skills.
How did the project change through the years?As the numbers grew, the project evolved and we started to have residentials and then accredited training. The residentials were good craic, first of all! They were also tied in with a Peace Resolution course and so we started to do a lot more work on discrimination, looking at strategies for dealing with conflict and resolution.
How did your leadership role develop as the group evolved?I took accredited Leadership training through the group – I’d started to think about how BME Youth would help me in the future and so I took the advanced Leadership courses offered. There were two key things that motivated me: to tackle racism and discrimination, and the to gain qualifications.
I remember planning and speaking at different conferences, putting young people’s voices up front, young BME voices too. The conferences were organised in the
Civic Centre, and we would talk about our attitudes towards racism and discrimination. Youth clubs from across Northern Ireland were invited, so it was an opportunity to encourage the different groups to share their experiences of discrimination.
Did this impact on how you saw life in Northern Ireland?I’ve been here for what seems like forever now, I’ve grown up here. I already know that people can discriminate against others for no reason. I do think there was learning from the project work. Some from BME Youth keep in touch with the youth clubs they met along the way -for example, a really strong relationship developed with a group in Dungannon and we keep in touch all the time. A Polish youth group visited Northern Ireland and we brought them to the Peace
Wall in Belfast. It interested me that the Polish group found it really difficult to understand why the different communities couldn’t live next to each other – all the tension with just a peace wall between them!
The kids are more aware now because of BME Youth: they know that it is wrong to discriminate on any grounds. They also how to challenge it, definitely. Northern Ireland is becoming more multi-cultural so the awareness grows with that.
What did involvement in the group mean to you personally?I’m in my first year of Criminology now; ideally I’ll be joining the police service at the end of my degree. I want to challenge everything, and make the world a better place – that sounds a bit much maybe, but I want to make a difference by being there to support everyone. As well as my studies, I volunteer with BME Youth and I work as an Assistant Youth Support Leader for a local school. Some kids can find it surprising that someone from a ‘BME background’ can be their youth worker. After a few months the label drops off. That is what it should be like – the young people should not be labelled BME. They begin to see me as a person and not a label.
What do you think are the main issues experienced by young people?Education and employment. Most of my mates are thinking about university. A friend travels from Lisburn to Downpatrick every single morning for a course because he is really concerned about his future. He wants to be able to progress.
A big concern is whether to stay here, or return to their extended family. This can seem more attractive if they were educated here but can’t get a job. If there aren’t jobs here, young educated people will move, and fluency in English is an advantage in Lithuania or Poland.
‘I’m in my first year of Criminology now; ideally I’ll be joining the police service at the end of my degree – so everything ties in. I want to challenge everything, I want to make the world a better place – that sounds a bit much maybe, but I want to make a difference by being there to support everyone.’
The lasting impact of youth work
Community FocusMark Caffrey of NICEM speaks to Vito Jocys
Vito receiving an SEELB Youth Achievement Award
Through a partnership with HAPANI (Horn of Africa People’s Aid Northern Ireland), staff and volunteers at
Public Achievement have been engaging with a group of Somali young women (aged 14-15) as part of our ‘Breaking the Cycle’ project since May 2013.
‘Breaking the Cycle’ supports young women and young people from minority ethnic backgrounds to address issues of violence that affect their lives using an active citizenship model that we call ‘Civic Youth Work’.
Working with the young women in this group has taught us a lot as youth workers. It has made us work harder on building relationships in order to overcome the language barrier. We have become more thoughtful about the words we use to describe activities and ideas so that everyone understands and participates. In return we have observed how much the young people value the opportunity to share their own ideas as well as the chance to express their feelings about life in Belfast. One of the girls said that the group has given her the confidence to say the things she wants to say without being shy. The fact that they feel like they are in a safe space is encouraging.
It has also helped us to realise that there are some things we take for granted when we work with young people from areas with which we are familiar. On the other hand the young people have helped us to see things that we haven’t noticed before; for example how something as simple as trying to understand the bus system can make you feel like a stranger in Belfast. There is frustration with how they get constant questions about their hijabs, and they have observed instances of on-street racial harassment such as a person yelling to a group of Muslims, “go back to your country!” Talking about those kinds of incidents and experiences takes courage.
Most of the discussions with the group members have revolved around their experiences at school. They are exploring ways in which young people whose first language isn’t English can get better support, and how to improve school meals for those who eat halal. As their group
work has progressed we have noticed
development in their critical thinking skills, in articulating ideas and opinions, and in understanding different perspectives. They have grasped a greater sense that it is they who have the tools to change things, which is at the core of our work.
Going forward the group are preparing to meet with their school principal to discuss ways of improving school life for themselves and other Muslim young people. They have work still to do, but what stands out about this group of young women is that they are up for a challenge!
For more info, visit: www.publicachievement.com
Breaking
the Cycle
One of the girls said that the group has given her the con-fidence to say the things she wants to say without being shy. The fact that they feel like they are in a safe space is encouraging.
The young women from HAPANI during a ‘Breaking the Cycle’ group work session
Community Focus
Luis Cancio, Deborah Erwin, Anthony Morrissey and Emelie Niellson, Public Achievement
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Dr Donna Kernaghan, Research and Policy Officer, Barnardo’s NI.
Childcare is an important social and economic issue in Northern Ireland. Families with children are being hit hard by welfare reform due to the reduction of childcare tax credits from providing 80 per cent to 70 per cent of childcare costs, a freeze in the value of Child Benefit for three years, and its removal from those households with a parent earning over £40,000. Furthermore, childcare costs in Northern Ireland are high, while provision is low. Within this context, it is easy to see how parents in Northern Ireland struggle with making childcare arrangements that suit their budget within their local area.
There is a limited amount of research that seeks to identify and understand the specific childcare needs of black and minority ethnic (BME) families in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM) worked in partnership with Barnardo’s Northern Ireland on research, entitled ‘Believe in Childcare?’1 that sought to understand the types of childcare arrangements BME parents typically use and how different work patterns may affect the childcare options available to them. This project also sought to gauge how BME families accessed information, including on benefits and rights relating to childcare.
1 Kernaghan, D. (2014) Believe in Childcare? The childcare needs of ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland. Barnardo’s NI and NICEM, Belfast.
Methodology A mixed method approach was used combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Potential adult participants had to satisfy three criteria before taking part in the research, namely that they;
• come from an ethnic minority community;
• have a child/children aged 0 – 12 years old in Northern Ireland, and
• live in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.
The 2011 Census data showed that the Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT) had the largest percentage of total population born in other EU members countries living in NI from 2004 onwards (3.94 per cent) at nearly double the NI average (1.97 per cent). For these reasons, the geographical parameters of the research were restricted to the SHSCT area due to the large numbers of the target population. The ‘Believe in Childcare?’ research was conducted in three phases:
Phase 1: Parent questionnaire An anonymous questionnaire was available in 11 different languages from NICEM’s website or by paper copy between August and October 2013. A total of 308 valid responses were completed (valid refers to those responses in which the responders satisfied the three criteria listed above).
Phase 2: Parent focus groups Five focus groups with 34 parents with a child aged between 0 – 12 years old were conducted in November – December 2013 within the SHSCT. Data from the focus groups was gathered to gain further insights into barriers to formal childcare, difficulties faced by working parents, and access to information about childcare.
Phase 3: Children’s focus groups Two children’s focus groups were conducted in primary schools in the SHSCT area in December 2013 with a total of nine children aged between five and nine years old. Children were asked to draw their day to facilitate discussion around who looked after them in the morning, after school and evening.
Main Findings
Demographic Information
• Polish was the largest single ethnic group in the sample (29.2 per cent) with Lithuanian the second largest single identity (19.5 per cent).
• Most participants had settled in Northern Ireland for five years or more (56.5 per cent).
• Respondents to the questionnaire had a total of 610 children between them with the majority having either two children (45.5 per cent) or one child (33.4 per cent).
Believe in Childcare? An investigation into the childcare needs of ethnic minority communities in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area by NICEM and Barnardo’s NI
Feature Article
• Over half of the participants had no family members living in Northern Ireland who could help them with childcare (54.9 per cent).
Typical Childcare ArrangementsIn the survey, participants were asked to indicate the factors they considered important regarding childcare. Unsurprisingly, the top three factors were quality (95.7 per cent), availability in their local area (89.5 per cent) and the cost of childcare (88.5 per cent). Results from the quantitative data show that parents from ethnic minority communities used a wide variety of formal and informal childcare.
Informal Informal childcare was the most common type of childcare used (54.9 per cent). Of those that only used informal childcare, friends were the most typical source of childcare provision (46.9 per cent) followed by grandparents of children (38.9 per cent) and other family members (38.1 per cent). Trust was important for these parents, with a number expressing that they were reassured leaving their children with people with whom they had a personal relationship. Some parents also felt that this was beneficial for their children in terms of strengthening their own culture through language and food. Informal childcare may also be a cheaper alternative than formal childcare provision.
Formal Parents using only formal types of childcare were the smallest group identified (12.3 per cent). The most common form of formal childcare used was day nursery (39.5 per cent) followed by registered child minders (31.6 per cent) and out of school clubs (28.9 per cent). In every parent focus group, cost was discussed as a significant barrier to using formal types of childcare. Parents in the focus groups also highlighted issues around distrust of using formal childcare providers, and a lack of local provision. Another key barrier to using formal childcare was accessing it during in the hours it was required. Evidence from the focus group suggests that formal childcare hours do not always meet the needs of those parents that work atypical hours.
“Because my working hours is from five to twelve [17.00 – 0.00], there is no place that is looking after children and sometimes I have to bring the children to work….because we are Chinese our
business time starts from five to twelve o’clock and English people time starts at nine or after until evening time. This is very different and we find it hard to get people to look after our babies and children. That is the problem.”
Chinese parent, three children
Many parents in the focus groups reported that they could not consider using formal childcare as those services did not operate at the times they needed it. This was the case for a diverse range of employees such as hospital staff, factory workers, and those working in the hospitality and catering industry. Furthermore, parents who were interested in using formal childcare cited the lack of local provision as a barrier which prevented them from using this type of childcare.
Combination of Formal and Informal ChildcareNearly twenty per cent of participants reported that they used both informal and formal childcare arrangements (19.5 per cent). Again, friends were the most common form of childcare (56.7 per cent), followed by day nursery (47.7 per cent) and out of school clubs (43.3 per cent). Findings also show that participants from Latvia (42.9 per cent) and Lithuania (32.2 per cent) were particularly keen users of a combination of informal and formal childcare. Results suggest that the combination of informal and formal childcare may be of benefit particularly for those working atypical hours, those with two or more children, and lone parent families.
No Childcare Used Nearly a third of the sample reported that they do not use either informal or formal childcare (31.5 per cent). A number of nationalities displayed high proportions of participants using no childcare, including East Timor (67.9 per cent), Latvia (42.9 per cent), Guinea Bissau (42.9 per cent) and Slovakia (40.0 per cent). The evidence would suggest that this group does not use any form of childcare as they lack the networks such as family to avail of informal childcare arrangements and it may be difficult for this group to access and afford formal childcare as most of this group are not currently employed or self employed. One important area highlighted in the focus groups was the difficulty for children who had previously attended pre- school or formal childcare in another country to
adjust to not attending childcare in Northern Ireland. Parents recognized that childcare could provide benefits for their childcare in terms of socialisation, independence and acquisition of English.
Childcare Issues for BME Working Parents Over half of respondents identified themselves employed or self-employed (56.8 per cent) with proportionally more males (84.5 per cent) than females (50.4 per cent) working. Findings show that the sample held jobs across a range of diverse sectors, with employment in food services and manufacturing and production (25.1 per cent and 14.9 per cent, respectively) as the most common. While the majority of participants worked during the day Monday to Friday (55.1 per cent), nearly 30 per cent worked on a shift pattern including daytime, night time and weekend work (28 per cent). A fifth of participants reported working weekday evenings and/or nights (20 per cent). Weekend work also featured as 16.6 per cent of respondents worked during the day on Saturday and/or Sunday while 11.4 per cent reported working weekend evenings and/or nights.
Over one third of parents rarely or never found their usual working hours to be problematic regarding their childcare arrangements (36.6 per cent), the same percentage found that their usual working hours always or often made childcare arrangements difficult (36.6 per cent). Participants from the focus groups identified a number challenges for working parents from an ethnic minority community.
Shift Work: In the focus groups participants reported difficulty in finding childcare to cover shifts outside the traditional working week of Monday – Friday 9am- 5pm. Childcare arrangements were particularly problematic for single parents or if both parents in one family were working back-to-back shifts. Participants in the focus group highlighted the challenge of finding time to spend together as a family when doing this type of work. Children also spoke about their routines changing depending on their parents’ work patterns and who was available to care for them.
Zero-Hours Contracts: A key theme amongst participants of the focus groups was the motivation to find work. Participants highlighted the short notice period given for work as a particularly frustrating aspect of zero-hours contracts. Parents felt that their lack of ability to make suitable childcare
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arrangements at short notice was a barrier to accepting employment or gaining additional hours, which in turn impacted on the family’s income.
“It is quite difficult to get a job already and when they are in an agency they have to wait for a message to go to work. So if they get a message today what arrangements can that person make to find somebody else to look after the child?”
Guinea Bissau parent, two children
Children’s Illness/Emergencies: The qualitative data revealed that working BME parents found children’s illnesses or emergencies particularly difficult to manage regarding their workplace. Parents often had no informal family support and reported that they used annual leave when their children were sick. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some employers are unsympathetic to migrant workers taking time off to care for children and that employees felt under pressure to return to work quickly.
“If your child is sick and they are still asking you to work, is that fair?”Filipino parent, three children
Participants in the focus group acknowledged that many working parents faced these difficulties, regardless of ethnicity or nationality. However, participants felt this was particularly problematic for BME parents as they often have no other family members or support network here to provide additional childcare at short notice or in emergencies.
Access to Information Results from the questionnaire found that 63.9 per cent of respondents reported that they had some difficulty accessing information regarding childcare. Friends were the most common source of information on childcare (43.8 per cent) followed by SureStart centres (34.7 per cent) and the local doctor’s surgery (16.6 per cent). As found in other research studies2, lack of English language may be an obstacle for BME communities to access information and services. A proportion of participants self-reported that they had poor or no ability to speak (24.1 per cent), read (20.4 per cent), or understand English
2 McGovern, Meas and Webb, 2011; Bell, Caughey, Hansson, Martynowicz and Scully, 2009.
(14.2 per cent). A higher percentage of respondents reported that they had no or poor ability to write in English (28.9 per cent). This has clear implications as to how childcare and other information is communicated to increase accessibility for those with limited or no English.
Rights and Benefits Most participants were unaware if they were eligible for financial help and in many cases had no awareness about the support available regarding childcare. For those participants that had experience of applying for financial support many commented on the complicated process and the lack of support in navigating the system and completing the necessary paperwork.
“No place to get help to understand about benefits and rights. Even if I go to the proper place to get help it is difficult because they don’t explain anything. They give you the papers and the say, ‘You fill this form in and bring it back’ so I don’t know what to fill in on the form, I don’t know what to do and just if wee things are wrong I can lose everything, even the things I am already getting.” Guinea Bissau parent, three children
This general lack of awareness by BME parents regarding financial assistance with childcare was backed up by the quantitative data:
• 69.5 per cent were unaware of a Childcare Voucher Scheme;
• 47.0 per cent were not aware of the right to request flexible working hours;
• 43.7 per cent were unaware of free part time pre-school places for children aged 3 – 4 years old;
• 25.5 per cent were not aware of Working Tax Credit.
Conclusion The findings of the ‘Believe in Childcare?’ project highlighted the many challenges specific to BME families in accessing suitable childcare. A number of areas require further consideration:
Structural Changes to Childcare Provision: There is an increasing need for a childcare model that operates outside traditional working hours. A changing economy and job market has led to an increase in parents working atypical hours and zero-hours contracts so this need for flexibility is relevant not only to BME workers, but to the wider NI population as well, and requires
a strategic response from Government. Issues related to the cost and availability of childcare in NI remain significant factors to be addressed.
Training and Employment Opportunities: Lack of provision within the local area was highlighted as an issue. It was suggested that this could be redressed to some extent if there were greater training and employment opportunities for members of the BME community, particularly women, to become registered child minders themselves.
Strategy to Increase Access to Information: Many parents were unaware of how to access advice or information services, or were reluctant to do so due to the perceived language barrier. There was general consensus amongst parents in the focus groups that greater use could be made of existing points of contact such as schools, health centres and local community centres to signpost and disseminate childcare information to BME families. To meet these needs, a coherent strategy to disseminate information through a combination of face-to-face, online and other written means is needed.
Simplification of Processes: The lack of awareness about available financial support for childcare was particularly striking. Many BME parents were unfamiliar with where to access financial support and it was also apparent that many official channels are too complicated to be accessible to ethnic minorities with limited or no English. There is a need for greater promotion of benefits and rights that ethnic minorities may be eligible for, with better evaluation on the effectiveness of the migrant community groups offering advice on these issues to BME parents.
For more information about the ‘Believe in Childcare?’ research please see the full report at http://tiny.cc/0743ax
To learn about follow-up activities planned by NICEM contact [email protected]
Know your rights
The Children’s Law Centre (CLC) is an independent children’s rights organization which is founded on
the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC); in particular the principles of the UNCRC that children shall not be discriminated against and have equal access to protection (Article 2); that decisions taken which affect children’s lives should be in the child’s best interests (Article 3); and that children have the right to have their voices heard in all matters concerning them (Article 12).
The UNCRC is a set of legally binding obligations in respect of all aspects of children’s lives, which the UK Government has ratified. As a signatory to the UNCRC the Government is obliged to deliver all of the rights contained within the Convention for all children and young people, and to report on its compliance with its obligations under the Convention to the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The Committee’s role in the reporting process is to monitor States’ implementation of their international human rights obligations under the UNCRC. Following ratification of the Convention the Government must submit an initial report and periodic reports every 5 years, present for oral examination to the Committee and give effect to the Committee’s Concluding Observations after being examined by the Committee. Article 45 of the UNCRC expressly envisages a role for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in ensuring Government compliance with the UNCRC through the reporting process.
CLC has extensive experience in the reporting process to the Committee on the Rights of the Child. In both 2002 and 2008, CLC lead the reporting to the Committee from NGOs in this jurisdiction, in partnership with Save the Children. We will also lead on the NGO report for the next examination of the UK Government by the Committee, which is expected in 2016. The UK Report to the Committee is due to be submitted in the next number of weeks
and preparations for the NGO Alternative Report, which will involve engagement with and input from children and young people, partner NGOs and individuals, has begun in earnest. Through our involvement in the reporting process we aim to bring about change for children and young people and to make tangible progress in the realisation of children’s rights in Northern Ireland.
As in previous reporting cycles, we intend to host visits to Northern Ireland by Committee members and to facilitate children and young people and partner NGOs to engage with them. We will be holding workshops for children and young people and NGOs working with and for them, providing an opportunity to participate in the process and inform the issues which are brought to the attention of the Committee in preparation for its examination of Government.
The starting point for the compilation of the report will be an examination of how the Government is implementing its obligations to children under the Convention and the degree to which it has complied with the Committee’s previous Concluding
Observations. Many of the Concluding Observations from 2008 relate specifically to migrant, refugee, asylum seeking, Traveller and Roma children, particularly with regard to discrimination, negative media portrayal, inequalities in accessing education, and inadequate standards of living and of detention. There will also be an opportunity to raise new issues of concern with regard to the Government’s compliance with the Convention.
We want to hear from as many organisations and children and young people as possible to inform the preparation of Northern Ireland’s NGO Alternative Report to the Committee, and to ensure that all of the issues which impact on your life, the lives of your children or those who you work on behalf of are included in report.
If you are interested in more information or want to get involved contact CLC on 028 9024 5704 or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected].
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Reporting Process An NGO PerspectiveNatalie Whelehan, Policy Officer, Children’s Law Centre
PHOTO: WWW.IDJPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
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Young people, particularly from larger cities and deprived areas, have a troubled relationship with
the police that has been well- and often mis- documented, the 2011 riots being the perfect example. It is convenient to sweep the complex tensions between social control, protection and power under the carpet when blame needs to be laid, but when you ask them, young people can articulate with amazing discernment how these situations fester and eventually combust. It is in our collective interest to listen.
The youth engagement work at StopWatch, an action group for fair and accountable policing, has led us to speak with children and young people aged 9-22 years about their experiences and perceptions of stop and search; the policing practice that results in disproportionate amounts of them, especially from BME backgrounds, being confronted and challenged as they go about their daily lives; at least 25% of all stop and searches are conducted on under 17s. Their stories highlight not only the problems that young people face in these interactions but also how this sets in motion a broader chain of social problems through fear, social exclusion and violence, that wider society is ultimately forced to deal with.
There are recurring themes of frustration and a total breakdown of trust, yet seldom anger towards the power itself but the way in which it is applied by officers. When young people ask for explanations but do not get them, they are fed lies and misinterpretations of the law, they are harassed by the same officer day in day out, and any efforts to exercise their rights are read as cockiness, it is no wonder they feel like powerless victims of unstoppable bullies.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the vulnerability of young people in the criminal justice system and requires that “all decisions taken within the context of the administration of juvenile justice, the best interests of the child should be a primary consideration.” In this context, it is alarming that there are no safeguards in place to
protect children in these situations, in stark contrast to rigorous guidelines for children once in custody.
When we asked a group of under 12s what they would do if stopped and searched, some replied that they would call Childline or report it to their school’s Sexual Assault Team, exposing the terror and threat with which they view an encounter with the police and its potential to severely impact upon a child’s wellbeing. With 126,349 10-17 year olds being stopped and searched in London in 2012 alone, policing guidelines must urgently incorporate these concerns.
Those who are particularly vulnerable and disadvantaged in education and employment are further, degraded and oppressed by stop and search. Data for England and Wales
shows that black people are seven times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people, and Asians are twice as likely. Having grown up in environments where they would never let anyone disrespect them, they are subject to public humiliation at the hands of the police, all in front of their peers and communities.
The wide-ranging harm done to young people, coupled with a lack of protection, leaves them wide open to physical, mental and emotional damage from an early age. Tighter legislation, meaningful dialogue with impacted communities and a fundamental change in police culture is needed if we ever want to address the underlying factors that lead to resistance, rebellion and, if left to fester, rioting.
Fear and mistrust: young people and the policeNatasha Dhumma, StopWatch Youth Coordinator, Runnymede Trust
The young people of StopWatch Youth
The UK government were due to be examined on their adherence to children’s rights obligations by the Committee on the Rights of the Child this year; however, as the UK government has not yet submitted their state report, it is more likely that the hearing will not take place until 2016.
Following NICEM’s education research in 2009, and research into the impact of the economic downturn in NI and our childcare
research and related focus groups in 2013 – 14, we believe there are crucial issues that should be addressed at the 2016 hearing with regard to black and minority ethnic (BME) children and young people; notably racist bullying, access to provision of services and child poverty.
NICEM has had a long history of engaging with UN conventions. Our objective is to support grassroots participation in order to
foster leadership and empowerment within BME communities. In preparation for the 2016 hearing, next year we plan to hold a series of UNCRC awareness raising events and workshops with BME youth to ensure that the their views and concerns are heard, and reflected in our submission.Please keep an eye on our website later this year for further details of planned work in relation to the UNCRC!
NICEM’s participation in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)Helena Macormac, NICEM
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By Kathryn Torney, The Detail
This article originally appeared in The Detail (www.thedetail.tv) on 3 February 2014, as part of the Legacy project, in partnership with the Community Relations Council. It is reprinted here with permission, and with thanks.
The 2011 census revealed that 32,400 people living in Northern Ireland belonged to ethnic minority groups –
an upward trend which has developed since the end of large scale violence.This equates to 1.8% of our total population – more than double the proportion in 2001.The latest census also showed there is no longer a majority population in Northern Ireland in terms of national identity. Just under 40% of the population described themselves as only British and 25% as solely Irish.The Northern Ireland Peace Monitoring Report 2013 stated: “Northern Ireland now only has minorities, whether categorised by religious belief, communal background or choices around national identity.”It is against this backdrop of increasing cultural diversity that we have examined the issue of newcomer pupils in Northern Ireland’s schools.Newcomer children are pupils who do not have the necessary language skills to participate fully in the school curriculum and do not have a language in common with their teacher.Using Freedom of Information legislation, we requested a breakdown of the number of newcomer pupils attending every school in Northern Ireland.The Department of Education sent us 2012/13 school census data for 1,549 schools in the primary, post-primary, nursery and pre-school sectors. See our interactive map above to explore the data for your local schools.Patrick Yu, executive director of the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities, said it is crucial that money allocated to schools for newcomer pupils is ring-fenced.And he also stressed that minority groups
have a role to play in dealing with the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past.
The dataThe new figures show that the number of schoolchildren without English as their first language increased more than seven-fold in Northern Ireland between 2001/02 and 2012/13.In 2001/02 there were 1,366 newcomer children in NI’s schools – 0.5% of the total school population. At that time they were called ‘English as an Additional Language’ pupils.
The data for the 2012/13 school year, shows the newcomer pupils increasing to 9,656 – 3% of the total number of pupils. This ranges from 1.7% of pupils in post-primaries to 5.5% of our nursery pupils.Over 67% of the newcomer pupils in the last academic year were based in primary schools.Leaving aside a small pre-school in Dungannon, Presentation Primary in Craigavon had the highest percentage of newcomer pupils on its rolls at 69%. At this Catholic maintained school 155 of the 224 pupils last year did not have English as their
Dramatic increase in newcomer pupils attending NI’s schools
Pupils from Presentation Primary School in Craigavon PHOTO: COURTESY OF Presentation Primary School
first language.This was followed by St Patrick’s Primary in Dungannon where 58% of the 783 pupils were newcomers.At Botanic Primary in Belfast 93 of the school’s 202 pupils (46%) had English as their second language.St Patrick’s College on Killymeal Road in Dungannon and Drumcree College in Portadown both had the highest percentage of newcomer pupils among schools in the post-primary sector at 30%.They were followed by St Joseph’s College on Belfast’s Ravenhill Road where 22% (120) of the 538 pupils had a first language other than English.Three hundred and ninety-five schools had less than five newcomer pupils. The Department of Education does not give the exact number for these schools to prevent identification of individual children.A total of 761 schools had no newcomer pupils on their rolls – 418 primaries, 271 pre-schools, 44 post-primaries and 28 nurseries.The 393 schools with newcomer pupils we have exact figures for (schools with more than five newcomer pupils) educated 8,818 of the total 9,656 newcomer children. Within this group, 59% attended Catholic maintained schools, 29% were pupils at controlled schools and 7% attended integrated schools.Presentation Primary pupils Lasma Melke & Jainana Cardosa
The principals’ views
Yvonne Mulholland is principal of Presentation Primary in Portadown which has been welcoming newcomer children into its classrooms for the past 10 years.The school’s enrolment has grown from 60 pupils including seven newcomer pupils in 2003 to a current school population of 250 children of which 150 are newcomers.Miss Mulholland said: “I feel that the newcomer children have brought a special quality to our school and have made it a diverse and culturally rich community.“With the growth of newcomer children we have seen the growth of children who would naturally come from the Portadown community enrol here. Parents have said they chose our school as they want their children brought up in a multicultural environment as this is the new face of Northern Ireland.”The principal said that having newcomer children is now a normal part of school life.“It was difficult in the early days as there were no advisors from the education boards in 2003,” she said. “We were all learning together and through trial and error we have found what works for our pupils so they can achieve high standards in all aspects of school life.“We have adapted our staffing and employed classroom assistants in every year group, many of which have English as their second language and are able to help children settle into school life and help parents understand what we are striving to achieve.“We find that newcomer children have at times outperformed their Northern Irish
counterparts in assessments. This has meant pupils have an added stimulus to keep striving to be the best they can be as they see children who have English as their second language achieve so much and they want to achieve also.“Parents have seen the achievements of newcomer pupils and feel if these children can achieve so much they have faith in our school to produce high standards for the Northern Irish pupils.“All in all we feel newcomer children have made our school a very unique special place where every child is valued and nurtured. We are proud of the high standards we set for every child.”Paul Bell is principal of Botanic Primary in Belfast. The school census for the 2012/13 school year shows that 46% of the 202 pupils in this school were newcomers.The school’s development plan states “Botanic Primary is renowned as a multi-cultural school and has traditionally
accepted children from all communities. A proportion of our intake comprises children of foreign nationals who are studying or lecturing at Queen’s University.“We welcome this diversity and believe that it assists in the understanding of worldwide religious and social traditions. Additional help is available for children who have English as a second language. As children develop and learn together, we believe it can be a mutually enriching for all concerned.”Mr Bell said: “These are not mere words. We do indeed welcome newcomer children and acknowledge the part they have to play in the ethos of our school which includes acceptance.“Acceptance of each person as we find them and working together to ensure we provide many value added opportunities for children to excel academically – which is our primary purpose.”The principal said the mix of cultures is a “mutually enriching experience” for all of his pupils. His staff work hard to ensure each child’s educational needs are catered for and this was recognised when the school recently won a Belfast Telegraph Making The Difference award.Mr Bell admits that it is difficult to teach children whose first language is not English.He continued: “However, we are incredibly fortunate to have on the staff Mr Vijay Tandon who was recently awarded the MBE for Services to Education.“Mr Tandon works alongside the staff – several of whom are experts themselves now in teaching English and nurturing
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and mentoring teachers who have less experience.“He has a well resourced classroom from which other teachers borrow resources but by far his experience is our greatest asset in this regard.”Mr Bell said that the school’s newcomer pupils encourage others to think about diversity in a whole new way.He said: “Diversity is about integration. Integration of all the communities living in Northern Ireland, not just Protestants and Catholics.”The principal said his personal view was that there should be a single schooling system in Northern Ireland which could follow a joint syllabus for religious education which has already been agreed by the main churches.
“Funding must be ring-fenced”The Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM) is an independent non-governmental organisation which represents the views and interests of black and minority ethnic communities.Patrick Yu is NICEM’s executive director.He said it is crucial that money allocated to schools for newcomer pupils is ring-fenced.And he claimed that budget allocations currently rely on “out-of-date census data from the previous year”. He said this does not take into consideration the arrival of,
for example, asylum seeking children who arrive after the census has been conducted later in the academic year.Mr Yu said: “There is additional money for schools with newcomer pupils to support their English proficiency through, for example, an additional teaching assistant but this money is never ring-fenced.“We have also suggested to the Department of Education that there should be a small contingency fund to cover increases in newcomer pupil numbers in schools during any school year.”We asked Mr Yu if people in Northern Ireland are now starting to think beyond the two traditional communities.He replied: “Sadly the majority still think of only the two communities, including politicians.”He continued: “The past conflict in Northern Ireland does also have an impact on minority groups living here. We are all affected but politicians only see the two communities that they represent.“Take for, an example, the racketeering by both sides of the paramilitary groups during the trouble which affected ethnic minority businesses last year and the many racist attacks over the last 10 years.“Minority groups should also have a role to play in dealing with the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past.”
Minister says newcomers are welcomed and valuedEducation Minister John O’Dowd said that his department’s policy – Every School a Good School – Supporting Newcomer Pupils – is designed to create a framework to welcome and value newcomer pupils and to ensure they have access to the full curriculum.The Minister continued: “The Common Funding Scheme, which funds schools, also targets support to schools teaching newcomer children. In 2012/13 the support stood at over £8 million.“Furthermore, my Department also provides an additional £900k earmarked funding to support newcomer pupils.“This funding helps support the Inclusion and Diversity Service, which provides support and capacity building training to all grant-aided schools and special schools for newcomer pupils. The service is responsible for assessing priorities, monitoring and responding to areas of need.“This work has ensured that we are supporting schools and teachers in educating newcomer children as their numbers have grown in recent years.”
© The Detail 2014
The Year 2 class at Botanic Primary in Belfast PHOTO: COURTESY OF BOTANIC PRIMARY
Office BearersThe office bearers from February 2014 – June 2014 are:
Chair: Anna Lo (Alliance)Vice Chair: Steven Agnew (Green)Secretary: David McClarty (Independent)Treasurer: David McIlveen (DUP)
Access to healthcare At the January meeting, the APG on EMC had presentations from the Department of Health; as well as the former UKBA (now located within the Home Office) on access to healthcare. Representatives of BME community groups put questions directly to Mike Golden of the former UKBA. These included:
• What entitlement to healthcare do Romanian and Bulgarian nationals now have since restrictions were lifted? Would new announcements by Theresa May have an impact on this? Will the proposed restrictions to housing and employment benefits for EU migrant workers announced by the British government apply only to those arriving after 1 January 2014 or, will it also include the vast number of people who have come to live and work here since 2004 and who may now find themselves out of work? Nick Cassidy, Omagh Ethnic Community Support Group
• There are concerns about the quality of housing provided to refugees and asylum-seekers in Northern Ireland under the SERCO contract, and how it impacts mental and physical health. How is this being addressed, given the restrictions on access to healthcare for refused asylum-seekers, and the implications for refugees and current asylum-seekers on their state of health? Mimi Unamoyo, NICRAS
• What recourses are available to individuals who have been denied healthcare based on their immigration status, when they are in fact entitled? What is being done to educate frontline staff in this area? Kanlaya O’Kane, Thai Northern Ireland Community Organisation
Mr. Golden indicated that any cases regarding poor housing (question two) or refusal of access to healthcare (question three) should be forwarded to his office to follow-up on. He also confirmed that as of 1 January 2014, Romanian and Bulgarian Nationals had the same rights as other EU nationals; he said he would come back to the APG on the question regarding access to Jobseekers Allowance.
One particularly contentious area was the proposed health surcharge, provided for in the draft Immigration Bill (see A Bird’s Eye View of: Westminster in this issue for more details). This would add an additional cost onto visa application costs as a ‘contribution’ towards the National Health Service. Groups and MLAs highlighted that visa costs are already quite high, and that the additional costs of the bureaucracy needed to process such costs would likely outweigh any financial gain. MLAs found this issue particularly troubling, and the APG will be following up on it.
Hate CrimeIn November, the APG on EMC received presentations from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) regarding the NIHRC’s investigation into hate crime in Northern Ireland, and how the DOJ and the PSNI are responding to the recommendations.
Community members asked questions directly to these agencies. Kristyene Boreland from World Wide Women @ North Down discussed the positive contributions of ethnic minorities in combating hatred, suggesting a role for the Assembly and local government as well. Patrick Yu of NICEM emphasised that the current law does not recognise anti-social behaviour and low-level intimidation as part of the hate crime spectrum; nor does it tackle elements of hate speech.
The presence of statutory agencies in the room means that these suggestions will be taken back, directly from communities to policymakers. For example, following the meeting, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has updated the APG on EMC on further actions it will take, and that it can take in partnership with the APG, to keep pressure on lawmakers; it will present to the APG on progress made on its recommendations at the April meeting.
Forthcoming meetings
If you would like details of upcoming meetings or further information on how to get involved with the APG on EMC, please contact the Secretariat: [email protected]
News from the HillThe All Party Group on Ethnic Minority Communities
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Human Trafficking, Exploitation and Further Support for Victims BillThis Bill was in Committee stage at the time of writing. The Justice Committee has been taking evidence from a variety of sources, including Amnesty International, the Department of Justice, Anti-Slavery International, former sex workers, and several organizations from the Republic of Ireland. There has been a lot of debate over the merits of sex-buyer laws, as the most controversial aspect of the Bill continues to be Clause 6, which would prohibit the purchase of the sexual services of a prostitute.
Haas/O’Sullivan talksThere are ongoing discussions in the Assembly about the report and accompanying recommendations from the all-party talks chaired by American diplomat Richard Haas and Harvard professor Dr. Megan O’Sullivan, which aimed to find political agreement around flags, parading and the past. The talks ended early this year without an agreement.
Housing (Anti-social Behaviour) Bill (Northern Ireland) In February the Justice Committee took evidence from officials from the Department of Social Development on the proposed Housing (Anti-social Behaviour) Bill (Northern Ireland), which would:
i. Introduce a new type of social housing tenancy (the short secure tenancy), which will be specifically for those tenants who have been involved in anti-social behaviour; and
ii. Amend existing legislation to provide that individuals who engage in anti-social behaviour following an assessment under homelessness legislation can be treated as ineligible at any stage before they are allocated a tenancy of social housing.NICEM submitted to the consultation stage of this Bill, highlighting potential equality and human rights issues.
Equality StrategiesThe Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister will be hearing evidence from Departmental officials on both the Gender Equality Strategy and Racial Equality Strategy in the
coming weeks. Both of these are crucial to NICEM’s work, and we will be following their progress quite closely, including responding to their consultations.
Assembly QuestionsRecent Assembly Written Questions (AQWs) and Assembly Oral Questions (AQOs) included: • Michelle McIlveen (DUP) asking
the Minister for Health what steps are being taken to ensure effective language skills for frontline healthcare staff
• Basil McCrea (NI21) asking the Minister for Justice what he has done to tackle underlying issues and build a shared society
• Anna Lo (Alliance) asked OFMDFM for an update on the Racial Equality Strategy
• Raymond McCartney (SF) asked the Minister for Justice if he was aware of any equality implications for the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Further Support for Victims) Bill.
A Bird’s Eye View of Stormont
A Bird’s Eye View of WestministerImmigration BillAfter a pause before the winter holidays, the Immigration Bill had its Second Reading in the House of Commons, as well as its Committee Stage. At the time of writing the Bill was in Committee Stage in the House of Lords.
As previously profiled in the Winter 2013 edition of Minority Rights Now, there are some deeply worrying aspects of the Bill, including provisions that would;
• Allow foreign criminals to be deported before the outcome of their appeal is known, as long as they do not face "serious irreversible harm" at home;
• Cut the number of grounds for appeal against deportation from 17 to four;
• Compel landlords to check whether tenants are in the UK illegally, with those failing to do so facing large fines;
• Force banks to check immigrants' legal status before offering accounts;
• Make some temporary migrants - such as students - pay a £200-a-year levy towards the cost of NHS services.
Since the last MRN, there has been a Tory backbench rebellion, which means that many of those in the Conservative party who do not hold Ministerial or Secretarial positions (otherwise known as backbenchers), have said that the provisions of the Bill do not ‘go far enough’ to curb immigration, particularly from the EU. In response to the rebellion, the government has already announcement new measures which would strip terror suspects of their UK citizenship, even if this would render them stateless.
NICEM has been working with the Movement Against Xenophobia (MAX) to counteract this Bill. It has also been discussed at length at the All Party Group on Ethnic Minority Communities (APG on EMC).
Lobbying ActThe Lobbying Bill became law after it narrowly squeezed through the House of Lords on one vote. The Lords had inflicted three serious defeats on the Government previously, but was unable to pass crucial amendments on staff costs that charities were still campaigning for, despite certain concessions given by the Government on spending limits.
One crucial aspect that was not clarified is that of ‘intent.’ The Act allows for expenditure related to campaigning purposes to be regulated whether or not there was intent by the group in question to influence the outcome of an election or the fortunes of a particular politician. This is obviously very concerning for charities and campaigning groups, whose activities on behalf of their members and towards their charitable objectives may unintentionally influence the fate of a politician, or contribute to an issue becoming popular. Clarification on this issue is crucial.
Promoting racial equality and human rights in Northern Ireland.www.nicem.org.uk
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