Human Rights Commission of Ireland and Amnesty International (Irish Section)

in association with the

National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism

Conference

Combating racism and promoting equality through legislation

Saturday, 27th March, 2004

Davis Theatre, ArtsBuilding

TrinityCollege, Dublin

Combating racism and promoting equality through legislation

TrinityCollegeDublin

Saturday, 27th March 2004.

Introduction

This one-day conference is organised by the Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International (Irish Section) in association with the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI). It will examine the legal frameworks in place in the Irish, European and international context to promote equality and to combat racism.

The conference aims to provide a forum for legal practitioners and grassroots activists to highlight best practice and policy as well as to exchange information.

In view of the significant – and frequently worrying - developments globally and nationally, this conference offers a timely reflection on the developments in anti-discrimination and equality legislation. Important initiatives are underway: the EU Racial Equality Directive is to be implemented by EU member states; appropriate legislation to effectively deal with racist incidents is being explored. Those and other developments will be the subject of this conference which takes place at the end of the UN-designated Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination.

Conference facilities:

The conference venue is wheelchair accessible. A signer will be present at the conference.

Coffee and a light lunch will be available to conference participants.

Click here for campus map[Campus Map]and car park[Car Park] facilities map.

Booking Details:

There will be no conference fee but prior booking is required as places are limited. Please fill in the attached booking form or click here.[Registration Form]

Human Rights Commission,Amnesty International(Irish Section),

Jervis House, Sean McBride House,

Jervis Street, 48 Fleet Street,

Dublin 1. Dublin 2.

Tel. 01 8589 601 Tel. 01 6776361

e-mail: e-mail:

Combating racism and promoting equality through legislation

Conference Agenda

Saturday, 27th March 2004.

TrinityCollege, Dublin.

9.00: Registration

9.30 – 11.30 a.m.

Chairperson: Dr. Maurice Manning, President, Human Rights Commission

  • Campaigning for legislative change

Imran Khan, Imran Khan and Partners, UK, lawyer in the Stephen Laurence case.

  • The European Union’s Race Equality Directive and Proposed Framework Decision

Barbara Nolan, Anti-Discrimination Unit, EU Commission

  • Too Firm to be Fair: Equality, Human Rights and the Management of Immigration and Asylum

Colin Harvey, Prof. of Constitutional and Human Rights Law, University of Leeds

11.30 COFFEE

11. 45 – 1.00 p.m.

Chairperson: Sean Love, Director, Amnesty International [Irish Section]

  • Using the law to effect social change

Rhon Reynolds, Assistant Director of the 1990 Trust

  • Ireland’s implementation of the Race Directive

Tanya Ward, Senior Policy & Research Officer, Irish Council for Civil Libertiesand member of the Equality Coalition

  • The Northern Ireland experience of Section 75 – statutory duty provision

Tansy Hutchinson, Research and Development Officer at the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities

1.00– 2.00 LUNCH

2.00 – 3.15 p.m.

Chairperson: Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson, NCCRI

  • Responding effectively to racist incidents

Philip Watt, Director NCCRI

  • Punishing Racially Aggravated Crime – the UK Experience

Sheila Rogers, Commission for Racial Equality, UK

  • Punishing Racially Aggravated Crime – the Experience in Ireland:

Donncha O’Connell, Law Faculty, NUI Galway

3.15 p.m.

Concluding Remarks

Michael Farrell, solicitor and Human Rights Commissioner

Conference

Combating racism and promoting equality through legislation

Davis Theatre, ArtsBuilding, TrinityCollege,Dublin

Saturday, 27th March 2004.

Conference Booking Form

Name:______

Address:______

______

______

______

Tel. no.______

E-mail address:______

Do you wish to have your contact details kept on Human Rights Commission and Amnesty databases

[ ] Yes[ ] No

Where did you hear about the conference?______

Please return completed registration form to:

or mail to:

Legislation Conference,

Human Rights Commission,

Jervis House,

Jervis Street,

Dublin 1.