Second Report - The experiences of minority ethnic and migrant people in Northern Ireland

Throughout our inquiry, we heard the perception that politics is often done “to” rather than “with” communities, and how the absence of representation of minority ethnic identities in political and public life has likely contributed to the lack of focus … Read more Throughout our inquiry, we heard the perception that politics is often done “to” rather than “with” communities, and how the absence of representation of minority ethnic identities in political and public life has likely contributed to the lack of focus given to, and progress made on, racial equality in Northern Ireland. We urge organisations and political parties to take steps to encourage the representation of minority ethnic voices within their own institutions—so that politics and civil society become more diverse and better reflect Northern Ireland society today. (Paragraph 8) An absence of data Show less

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We note that the issue of ethnic monitoring was identified as a key policy for implementation by the Northern Ireland Executive itself over 15 years ago. Self- evidently, therefore, it is disappointing that the level of monitoring undertaken continues to … Read more We note that the issue of ethnic monitoring was identified as a key policy for implementation by the Northern Ireland Executive itself over 15 years ago. Self- evidently, therefore, it is disappointing that the level of monitoring undertaken continues to be very low in Northern Ireland and the available data limited. We urge The Executive Office to implement wider monitoring as a matter of priority once a new Executive is formed. (Paragraph 11) Hate crime in Northern Ireland Show less

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We are mindful that many of the issues explored in this inquiry relate to matters devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. However, with the policy-setting opportunities for all parties presented by an upcoming election, and with new Census figures due, our intention in this report is to highlight and offer …

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The electorate can ask questions of candidates on issues affecting minority ethnic communities during the election campaign. The upcoming election provides more generally an opportunity for people from, or working with, minority ethnic communities to engage pro-actively to ensure their voices are heard by those seeking to represent them.

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There is no evidence of the perpetrators of hate crime being drawn disproportionately from one community over another; rather, hate crime is a problem that manifests across both traditional communities and is the responsibility of all to tackle. It is, however, very clear that legislation needs strengthening to ensure better …

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The Irish Traveller community continue to encounter many persistent inequalities in areas such as education, healthcare and housing, issues that are also experienced by other, more recently arrived, communities. We therefore look forward to the response of The Executive Office on these ongoing poor outcomes and experiences for Travellers in …

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We heard many concerns about the lack of progress made on the aims and actions of the Executive’s original and current Racial Equality Strategies. The Executive Office should seek to address these by implementing without delay the outstanding actions of the current strategy, for example on ethnic monitoring, the refugee …

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With new families soon to start arriving in Northern Ireland as part of the Afghan resettlement scheme, and the potential for refugees from Ukraine, it is important for the Executive to reflect on and learn the lessons of the previous Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. We are pleased to hear …

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We acknowledge that our direct responsibility is to scrutinise the work of the Northern Ireland Office of the UK Government rather than The Executive Office of the Northern Ireland Executive, but many of the findings of our report bear upon the role and responsibilities of that department. These are important …

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