United in demanding change
Meet Bridget Ward, Kate Ward and Danielle Lynch, three young Traveller residents of Newry in Northern Ireland.
The political divisions may at long last be healing, but not much has changed for Irish Travellers who have experienced a united front of exclusion across Ireland. Jake Bowers reports on Traveller Focus Week 2008.
Travellers from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have kicked off a week of events to bring attention to their communities. At the launch of Traveller Focus Week 2008 at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin yesterday, Missy Collins said: ” I hope the day will come when there is no longer a need for a Traveller Focus Week or any other specific week to highlight issues of concern to my community.”
“However the reality is that until such time as our culture and way of life is respected and included in Irish society, we will continue to need events such as TFW to highlight our experiences and issues.”
The week commenced with the launch, by Dr. Maurice Manning, President of the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) of a seminal Report on Traveller Cultural Rights, published by Pavee Point and the Irish Human Rights Commission. The report highlights the importance of taking culture into account in policy making and in service delivery. It also highlights the need for respect for Traveller culture and identity and to protect Travellers from discrimination and violence.
The IHRC and Pavee Point hope that the research report will make a contribution to the promotion of understanding and awareness on the right to respect for Traveller culture and way of life in Ireland. The need for such a report was highlighted by the Irish Government’s Second Progress Report of the Committee to Monitor and Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force Report on the Travelling Community (2005), which stated:
“Denial of Travellers’ cultural identity exacerbates Travellers’ daily experience of exclusion. Travellers’ nomadic tradition is equated with vagrancy by some settled people; Traveller crafts and Traveller language is [sic] not recognized; Travellers’ values, beliefs and customs are dismissed or ignored; the Traveller economy and work patterns are not acknowledged and, if they are, are denigrated. Accordingly, without respect for Traveller culture, progress in areas such as health, accommodation or education could be undermined. Respect for Traveller culture is also essential to nurture the development of Traveller children.”
Speaking at the launch Dr. Maurice Manning, President of the Irish Human Rights Commission, said: “It is very regrettable that in spite of the progress that has been made in Irish equality legislation, Travellers continue to experience significant levels of discrimination in all areas of Irish society. In these uncertain economic times, it is about focusing on priorities. Tackling the inequalities that Travellers face everyday in relation to accommodation, education and employment must be a priority for Government.”
Ms. Ronnie Fay, Director of Pavee Point Travellers’ Centre in Dublin, said: “We welcome the report of an expert body such as the IHRC in recognising the significance of Traveller Ethnicity and calling for formal government recognition for the community. We look forward to working towards Traveller inclusion in Irish society and see Traveller focus week as one mechanism to highlight Traveller cultural identity and seek recognition. It is vital that Travellers are included in antiracism and intercultural initiatives, particularly in the wake of the decision of the Office of the Minister for Integration to specifically exclude them.”
Traveller Focus Week is organised in the Republic of Ireland by the three National Traveller Organisations; Pavee Point Travellers’ Centre, the Irish Traveller Movement and the National Traveller Women’s Forum. In Northern Ireland, events are co-ordinated by An Munia Tober (the Good Road) and the Equality Commission.
Further information on Traveller Focus Week events are available at: www.tfw.ie