As the second International Human Rights Day since the global pandemic began Pavee Point salutes all who have struggled to address the human rights differentials exposed, and made worse, by COVID19 here and throughout the world. (Photo by Derek Speirs)
Climate justice
This year
has also seen a worsening situation for refugee and migrant rights
globally. The immediate need to act for
the rights of both ourselves and future generations was brought to all by the
calls for climate justice at the recent Glasgow COP26.
Equality in medical assistance
The global
discrimination differentials exposed by COVID19 need global responses in
equitable global action to make vaccines and medical assistance available
equally and promoted everywhere. We call on the Irish Government to lead this
action.
COVID19 exposed inequalities
Covid inequalities
COVID19 exposed discrimination differentials and
ongoing racism experienced by Travellers and Roma here in Ireland. It also exposed the need for publication and
implementation of long sought Government plans, policies and strategies to
address discrimination and racism in a key areas including health, accommodation
and education.
Equal outcomes in education
Click on image for video on Pavee Point and human rights
“Traveller education disadvantage did not
begin with COVID19 and reduced timetables for Traveller children, for example,
cannot be explained by that. Travellers
have plenty of education ambition but our education experiences are often
of discrimination and outcomes mostly of joblessness, ” said Tracey Reilly
Pavee Point Education Project.
Human rights based approach in education
“I call for
a new, transformed human rights based approach if COVID19 is not to lead to a
lost education generation.
“To make this real I call for immediate
development of the National Traveller Education Strategy, a commitment in the
current Programme for Government and asked for by Traveller organisations since
2006.
“It must have direct involvement of Traveller and Roma organisations at all stages, with monitored targets and timelines and sufficient resources to make change possible.”
