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Please bookmark this page to stay updated about our work relating to the Racial Equality Strategy Document. You will find useful links to relevant documents below, including:
NICEM RES EVENTS
The NI Executive’s Racial Equality Strategy is now out for consultation and NICEM are strongly encouraging community groups to participate.
To support your response, we have a number of useful documents:
NICEM Racial Equality Strategy Consultation Response Racial Equality Strategy 2014-2024 Consultation Response
NICEM Racial Equality Strategy Briefing Paper NICEM Racial Equality Strategy Briefing Paper (July 2014)
OFMDFM Racial Equality Strategy Consultation Document Racial Equality Strategy 2014-2024 - Consultation Document
NICEM’s breakdown of the issues arising from the Racial Equality Strategy by Stormont Committee Committee issues summary
and an updated summary of PhD research undertaken by Fiona Haughey, an independent researcher, at University of Ulster in 2010. ‘Racism in Northern Ireland The Racial Equality Strategy from Policy to Practice’ (2010, updated July 2014)
OUR POSITION IN BRIEF
Whilst NICEM welcome the publication of the Racial Equality Strategy Document we have serious concerns about its ability to deliver racial equality in Northern Ireland. It is much weaker than the previous Racial Equality Strategy which expired in 2010;
• It lacks accountability and governance mechanisms, action plans and clear objectives.
• The evidence base for racial inequality provided by the document is weak and unreflective of the current context.
• It doesn’t take account of cross-cutting departmental issues and issues of intersectional identities.
• The document fails to recognise the contribution that ethnic minorities make to the Northern Ireland economy and society more broadly with respect to the benefits of racial diversity.
Given the significant demographic changes in Northern Ireland since the previous document and the recent spate of high profile racist violence coupled with the rise of poverty amongst ethnic minority communities, it is essential that all political parties, ethnic minority community members and the wider community respond to this consultation demanding a robust and fit for purpose Strategy.
NICEM RES EVENTS
In light of these concerns and in order to assist with consultation responses we prepared a briefing paper (see above) and a series of related events. All information is below:
NICEM jointly hosted a seminar with NICVA on the 11th September, attracting a broad audience from across civil society.
We also held seminars for NICEM’s Ethnic Minority Women’s Group on 21st August and three regional seminars in Craigavon on 27th August, L/Derry on 28th August, Belfast on 8th September.
