ICI News Bulletin - Issue 34

Thursday, 15 January 2009

1. Discussions on promoting greater participation by migrants in civic life
2. “Pathways to Parental Leadership” research update
3. Project to examine service provision for victims of trafficking receives funding
4. COSC visits the ICI
5. One-stop-shop project handbook to be launched
6. Visit to áras an Uachtaráin to celebrate NCCRI’s work
7. Staff changes

Discussions on promoting greater participation by migrants in civic life
Chief Executive Denise Charlton, Research and Integration Officer Fidèle Mutwarasibo and Media and Communications Officer Ruth Evans are meeting a number of organisations in London today to discuss promoting the “migrant voice”.

Denise, Fidèle and Ruth are meeting colleagues from the Institute of Race Relations (IRR), the Migrant Resource Centre and the Migrants’ Rights Network.

The three organisations have been at the forefront of immigration and integration issues in the UK and it is hoped learning from their experiences will inform the ICI’s work on promoting greater participation by migrants in civic life in Ireland.

“Pathways to Parental Leadership” research update
The first phase of research for the Pathways to Parental Leadership project has been completed, with 15 semi-structured interviews carried out with staff in the five participating Dublin schools (Castleknock Community College; Holy Rosary National School; Castaheany Educate Together; Mater Dei Primary School and St George’s Church of Ireland National School).

Those interviewed included principals, teachers, language support teachers, resource teachers and home school liaison teachers.  The project advisory committee met yesterday (January 14) to discuss the preliminary findings and next phase of the research, which will involve interviewing parents.

A transnational steering committee has been established and will meet on February 11 at UCD.  Participants from Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany will attend the meeting.

The aim of the research is to promote greater involvement by migrant parents in school life.  For further information, please contact Sarah Sheridan – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Project to examine service provision for victims of trafficking receives funding
The European Commission’s Daphne III Programme has approved funding for a joint ICI-Dublin Employment Pact project which seeks to establish a model for interagency work to deliver high-quality services for victims of sex trafficking in Ireland.

The project, entitled “Dignity”, has been endorsed by other Irish partners including the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Anti Human Trafficking Unit, Sonas Housing and the Women’s Health Project.

The Irish partners will work with counterparts in Spain, Lithuania and the UK as part of a consortium of multi-disciplinary stakeholders who will look at promising practice in legislation, policy and service provision.  The models will then be replicated and mainstreamed to deliver high-quality services for victims of trafficking and to help to combat trafficking of women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation in the EU.  For further information, please contact ICI Anti Trafficking Coordinator Nusha Yonkova – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

COSC visits the ICI
Eimear Fisher, head of the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (COSC), and Tony Flynn, Assistant Principle Officer, visited the ICI recently.

Chief Executive Denise Charlton and Anti Trafficking Coordinator Nusha Yonkova gave a presentation on the ICI’s work in providing legal advice and support to vulnerable migrants, such as migrant women experiencing domestic violence in Ireland and victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Migrant representation on the COSC National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women was among the topics discussed during the visit.  For more information, please contact Nusha – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

One-stop-shop project handbook to be launched
The transnational project looking at one-stop-shop service provision for migrants will launch the handbook developed by the project partners on February 6 in Lisbon.

The six participating countries – Ireland, Germany, Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal – provided country reports which were used to examine best practice and current challenges.  The ICI was the project representative from Ireland.  Research and Integration Officer Fidèle Mutwarasibo attended a meeting for the project last week in Lisbon.

The aim of the project and the handbook is to promote promising practices on the delivery of public services to migrants across the EU.  For further information, please contact Fidèle – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Visit to Áras an Uachtaráin to celebrate NCCRI’s work
The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism’s staff and board have been invited to visit President Mary McAleese at áras an Uachtaráin today.  Senior Legal Advisor Catherine Cosgrave will represent the ICI, which was a member of the NCCRI’s partnership board.

The meeting was organised in recognition of the NCCRI’s work and contributions over the past decade.  The organisation has been wound up after the Government announced in the last Budget that it would no longer provide funding.

The ICI has expressed concern to the Government over its decision to stop funding the NCCRI and to significantly cut funding to other equality and rights organisations.

Staff changes
The ICI is delighted to welcome Senior Legal Advisor Catherine Cosgrave back from maternity leave.

While on maternity leave, Catherine transferred her qualifications from barrister to solicitor.  She is now working in this capacity in the ICI’s Legal Service.