Human Rights
Information on Human Rights within the travelling Community
The work of Mincéirí Port Láirge is guided by a human rights-based approach. By this we mean that we respect human rights law and promote the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in our day-to-day work. This includes our dealings with Travellers, our partners, and the broader community, where we place human rights at the centre of all our practices, policies, and procedures.
https://www.ohchr.org/en/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
A human rights-based approach to our work means we agree and promote the following Human Rights Principles, also known as The Panel Principles.
Everyone has the right to participate in and have access to information relating to the decision-making processes that affect their lives and well-being. To participate fully in a meaningful way people need supports such as childcare, physical access, access to information, language and other supports to freely participate.
Governments and other organisations are obliged to comply with human rights law and are accountable under of number of International, EU and Irish laws. ‘Individuals, the media, civil society and the international community play important roles in holding governments accountable for their obligation to uphold human rights.’ https://www.unfpa.org/resources/human-rights-principles
The Government is also responsible for monitoring of people’s rights to make sure they are upheld.
All people are equal as human beings and entitled to their dignity and respect. No one, therefore, should suffer discrimination based on gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community. https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2000/act/8/section/3/enacted/en/html#sec3
To exercise their rights people need to understand them. If they are to participate fully and meaningfully in society those most marginalised should be supported, as a priority, to understand and establish their rights under law.
Human Rights are set out under International, EU and Irish law and must be upheld. When needed a person can use these laws to achieve their human rights.
Some Useful Links
The act applies if you are discriminated against and treated less favourably than other in accessing services or goods because of your Age, Civil Status, Disability, Family Status, Gender, Membership of the Traveller Community, Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation.
By law, all public bodies in Ireland have responsibility to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of their employees, customers, service users and everyone affected by their policies and plans. This is a legal obligation, called the Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty, This is laid out in Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014.
For information on the rights of people with disabilities see The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Housing/accommodation rights are outlines in the links below. A person cannot be discriminated against under the nine grounds of the Equality Act, Age, Civil Status, Disability, Family Status, Gender, Membership of the Traveller Community, Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation.
An educational establishment, ie, schools and colleges cannot discriminate in relation to:
a) the admission or the terms or conditions of admission of a person as a student to the establishment,
b) the access of a student to any course, facility or benefit provided by the establishment,
c) any other term or condition of participation in the establishment by a student, or
d) the expulsion of a student from the establishment or any other sanction against the student.The Employment Equality Acts apply when experiencing discrimination in employment or trying to gain employment under the nine grounds of Age, Civil Status, Disability, Family Status, Gender, Membership of the Traveller Community, Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation.