'Minority Rights Now' Launched on International Migrants Day

18.12.2012

18 December 2012

"As budgets tighten, we are seeing austerity measures that discriminate against migrant workers, xenophobic rhetoric that encourages violence against irregular migrants, and proposed immigration laws that allow the police to profile migrants with impunity. During economic downturns, it is worth remembering that whole sectors of the economy depend on migrant workers and migrant entrepreneurs help to create jobs."

Ban Ki-moon
Message for International Migrants Day,
18 December 2012

The Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM), in recognition of International Migrants Day, today published the first issue of its re-vamped policy magazine, ‘Minority Rights Now.’

Speaking today, NICEM Director Patrick Yu said: “Migrants make a vital contribution to our society, and it is vital that we remember this, while also focusing on fighting the repression of their rights wherever it happens.

“The re-launch of Minority Rights Now is an opportunity for us to begin real conversations on the rights of migrants in Northern Ireland society on this important day.”

This is the seventh edition of the quarterly magazine, which has a dual remit:

- To communicate complex policy and legal issues affecting ethnic minorities to local communities;

- To communicate to politicians and key decision makers how their policies and actions impact local communities, and what it is that BME communities themselves want to see from their representatives

The Winter 2012/13 edition of MRN focuses on the issue of agency workers, and the recent developments in protection for them. It features articles from a wide variety of contributors across the UK and Ireland, and includes regular sections examining the recent work of both the Stormont and Westminster Parliaments.

Upcoming editions of MRN will look at race and the criminal justice system, human trafficking, and the intersections between gender and race.

MRN is always open to suggestions for topics, articles and contributors.

You can get in touch by emailing the editor at [email protected].

NOTES TO EDITORS

NICEM’s vision is of a society where equality and diversity are respected, valued and embraced, a society free from all forms of racism, sectarianism, discrimination and social exclusion; where human rights are guaranteed. NICEM works in partnership, to bring about social change through partnership and alliance building, and to achieve equality of outcome and full participation in society.

The Strategic Advocacy Project aims to identify and address issues of socioeconomic disadvantage and systemic discrimination through a targeted programme of advocacy and lobbying focusing upon human rights and equality. The ultimate goal is to guarantee actual access to rights and the equality of result for BME communities in Northern Ireland.

For more information or interviews, contact Elizabeth Nelson: [email protected]; 07730747861; 02890238645

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