Economic equality and the democratisation of economic power, Stupid

 —  October – November 2013

HE promotion of economic, social

and cultural rights must be a priority

for the new Irish Human Rights and

Equality Commission. Austerity pol-

icies have undermined these rights and led

to rising levels of discrimination and human

rights violations. That was the key message

from NGO and trade-union representatives

at an Equality and Rights Alliance seminar

on the work of the new Commission.

The Commission has been estab-

lished in designate form. However, a Chief

Commissioner has yet to be appointed and

the legislation to establish the body has still

to be published. The legislation is now due

for publication in October.

The work of the Commission, it was sug-

gested at the seminar, must reﬂect a reality

where many people are experiencing dep-

rivation and discrimination as a result of

austerity. Economic equality and the democ-

ratisation of economic power are now key

issues. Participants voiced particular con-

cerns about cuts to public spending and their

impact on particular groups in society.

The Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, who

opened the event, echoed these concerns.

She stated that the Government was mak-

ing clear political choices about where to

cut public spending and that it should stop

hiding behind the Troika to justify such deci-

sions. The choices being made need to be

transparent. Rationing of scarce resources

should not be by stealth. Discrimination

should not be used as a means of rationing.

First, the Commission was challenged to

address the causes of inequality and human

rights violations and to look beyond spe-

ciﬁc incidents of rights violations. It needs

to examine the model of development we

are currently pursuing through the prism

of human rights and equality, and to demand

norms for an alternative model, based on

human dignity, environmental sustainabil-

ity and equality.

The Government has promised that the

legislation establishing the Irish Human

Rights and Equality Commission will include

a duty on the public sector to have due

regard to equality and human rights. This

was seen as having valuable potential. The

Commission needs to promote and support

this duty such that it brings equality and

human rights concerns into the heart of pub-

lic sector decision-making and facilitates a

new public-service culture and capacity.

Second, tackling the serious levels of

under-reporting of discrimination and

human rights violations was viewed as

another key priority for the Commission.

Less than ten percent of people who expe-

rience employment-related discrimination

and discrimination in accessing goods and

services take any form of formal action.

Those who experience discrimination can

be disempowered and feel there is no point

making a complaint. They can also be disad-

vantaged by not having adequate knowledge

of their rights and how to exercise them.

There was a willingness to work in col-

laboration with the Commission to develop

strategies to address under-reporting. There

was a call for the Commission to develop

targeted strategies to address high levels of

under-reporting within particular groups

and to maximise its inquiry function to

uncover discrimination in institutional set-

tings, without the necessity for individual

claimants.

Third was the need for the Commission

to champion a strong equality and human

rights infrastructure. This would involve

stimulating a societal culture that values and

aﬃrms equality and human rights; acting

in solidarity with civil society and seeking

strong and well resourced organisations to

represent those experiencing inequality and

human rights violations; and encouraging a

political commitment to legislation, policies

and programmes that advance equality and

fulﬁll human rights.

There was aﬃrmation of the Commission

as a valuable and necessary institution of

social change. However, there was a shared

concern that it needs to be given adequate

staﬃng and ﬁnancial resources to reverse

the savage cuts to the predecessor bodies if

it is to realise this potential. The forthcom-

ing budget will be important in this regard.

The Commission also needs to be allowed

to operate independently with concerns

raised about its continued accountability

to the Department of Justice, Equality and

Defence rather than to the Oireachtas.

Rachel Mullen is Coordinator of the Equality

and Rights Alliance

Economic equality and

the democratisation of

economic power, Stupid

Human Rights and Equality Commission needs to examine the model of

development we are currently pursuing through the prism of human rights and

equality. By Rachel Mullen

SOCIAL

Bearable

Equitable

Viable

Sustainable

ECONOMIC

ENVIRONMENT

POLITICS EQUALITY