ICI News Bulletin - Issue 92
Monday, 12 December 2011
ICI News Bulletin
Issue 92 - Monday 12th December, 2011
- ICI attends European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) conference in Brussels
- ICI calls for better treatment of victims of trafficking under the new EU Anti-trafficking law
- European Network of Migrant Women meet in Brussels
- Refugee Immigration Practitioners Network (RIPN) meeting on 8th December at ICI
- ICI celebrates its 10 year anniversary
- ICI’s CEO presents to the Civil Public and Services Union
- ICI attends Annual conference on Free Movement of Workers
- ICI delivers public information sessions
ICI attends European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) conference in Brussels
On the 6th of December, CEO of the ICI, Denise Charlton and Integration Manager, Fidèle Mutwarsibo, attended a conference in Brussels organised by the European Policy Centre and the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM). The conference, entitled "Restrictive migration policies and the role of the media: the impact on undocumented migrants", aimed to explore issues surrounding the rights of migrants - in particular those who are undocumented, and the role of media in the migration and integration debate. Diane Schmitt, of the Immigration, Asylum, DG Home Affairs, and European Commission, delivered the keynote presentation on the European Commission’s activities on irregular migration. Views on irregular migration from the European Parliament were also provided by MEPs, including the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (Kinga Goncz); European Conservatives and Reformists Group (Sajjad Karim) and the Greens /European Free Alliance Group (Judith Sargentinit). Views on the role of the media in the migration and integration debate were provided by various practitioners including Don Flynn from Migrants Rights Network, TV journalist Mbela Nzuzi and Brussels correspondent from Daily Telegraph, Bruno Waterfield. The conference was closed by Antonio Vitorino, former Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs, who has indicated that he will attend an ICI event in 2012.
During the daylong seminar, Fidèle and Denise raised a number of issues , including the inclusion of second generation migrants, dealing with hate speech, political leadership on migration and integration issues, and populist political rhetoric that often involves scapegoating migrants.
For more information, please contact Fidèle:
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ICI calls for better treatment of victims of trafficking under the new EU Anti-trafficking law
Speaking at a seminar on the 22nd November 2011, aimed at examining the legislative and systemic changes Ireland needs to implement to give effect to the EU Directive, CEO of the ICI, Denise Charlton, said: “Few victims of trafficking into Ireland have been formally identified by the authorities to date and afforded the designated assistance for suspected victims of such a crime. Instead, most detected victims find themselves caught in the asylum process and living in direct provision, and no special treatment is offered to take account of the trauma they may have encountered". The roundtable discussion, hosted by the ICI, heard presentations by Ms Myria Vassiliadou, EU Anti-trafficking Coordinator, Dr Francis Jacobs Head of the EP Office in Dublin and Ms Marion Walsh, Executive Director of the Anti Human Trafficking Unit who outlined the current level of transposition of the latest EU anti-trafficking law.
Highlighting key points from the ICI report: “Asylum seeking victims of human trafficking: Legal and Practical Challenges”, Ms Charlton said: “Where victims of trafficking are identified by the authorities, they should be offered specialist accommodation and supports that take account of the often horrendous experiences they have had. We hope that, with the implementation of new legislation and systemic change to take account of the EU Directive, Ireland will offer a more humane and gender-sensitive approach to victims of trafficking,” ICI research can be downloaded at:
http://www.immigrantcouncil.ie/images/stories/pdfs/UN_Gift_report__18.11.2011.pdf
European Network of Migrant Women meet in Brussels
On the 3rd and 4th of December, representatives of the national coordination of the European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW) in Ireland, hosted by the ICI and Akidwa, attended the annual meeting in Brussels. The ICI anti-trafficking coordinator, Nusha Yonkova, presented relevant issues affecting migrant women’s lives and contributed to the discussion that involved migrant women from all over Europe. The ENoMW has joined forces with the European Women’s Lobby in their campaign for fairer common sense family reunification policies in Europe, during the consultation period launched by the European Commission through the publication of the green paper on Family Reunification Rights of 3rd Country Nationals in Europe.
For more information visit http://migrantwomennetwork.org. The EC Green paper on family reunification can be downloaded at http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0735:FIN:EN:PDF
Refugee Immigration Practitioners Network (RIPN) meeting on 8th December at ICI
On Thursday, 8th December, the Refugee Immigration Practitioners’ Network meeting (RIPN) took place at the offices of the Immigrant Council of Ireland. Ms. Jacqueline Kelly, now Managing Solicitor of the new Independent Law Centre at the Irish Refugee Council, chaired the meeting and also provided information about the Centre. Ms. Sophie Magennis, Head of Office, UNHCR Dublin presented to make opening remarks and to introduce our speaker, her colleague, Ms. Karen Whiting, Legal Officer, UNHCR's Bureau for Europe. Ms. Whiting's presentation is titled "Recent Developments in Asylum and Refugee Law Before the European Regional Courts". The presentation provided an overview of recent developments in the refugee and asylum jurisprudence of the two European Regional Courts, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and was complemented by an analysis of UNHCR's formal interventions and policy statements issued in some of these key cases, including M.S.S. vs Belgium and Greece case, decided by the ECtHR, and the NS and ME cases currently before the CJEU. For more information, please contact Catherine:
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ICI celebrates its 10 year anniversary
On Sunday the 18th of December, the ICI will celebrate its 10-year anniversary in the City Hall, marking ten years of celebrating diversity and advocating for the rights of immigrants and their families in Ireland. At the event, contributions will be made by Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland, Sr.Stan, founder of the ICI, Bryan Dobson, news presenter with RTÉ, Diana Bunici, presenter with TRTÉ, Dr.Klara Finkele, weather forecaster with Met Éireann, Asheesh Dewan, chef and entrepreneur , amongst others . Seasonal refreshments will be provided, along with entertainment by the North Dublin Community Gospel Choir. To RSVP, please contact Jen or Ann on (01) 6458160 / (01)6740202 or email
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ICI’s CEO presents to the Civil Public and Services Union
CEO of ICI, Denise Charlton, recently presented to the Civil Public and Services Union, which serves as the Union for clerical and administrative grades in the Civil Service, wider Public Sector and the Private Sector. The union is a member of the Turn off the Red Light (TORL), a campaign which calls for the end of prostitution and sex trafficking in Ireland and of which the ICI is a leading organisation. Denise presented on the levels of exploitation of migrant women and children in the sex industry and called on members of the alliance to engage in the Government's forthcoming consultation, to change prostitution laws through the criminalisation of buyers, thus tackling demand for prostitution. The consultation process is a response by Government to the Independent Senators motion on the legislative change last month. The Government has committed to a public consultation process within a six month timeframe. For further information on the TORL campaign, please visit www.turnofftheredlight.ie
ICI attends Annual conference on Free Movement of Workers
On the 3rd and 4th of November, ICI's Legal Information Officer, Emilia Zagraen, attended the 2011 Annual Conference on Free Movement of Workers, held by the European Network on Free Movement within the European Union in Bucherest, Romania.
The conference examined the state of implementation of the rights of free movement of workers in all Member States of the EU, recognising the new challenges to effective delivery of these rights. In addition to this general overview, the conference focused on the specific issues of the Court of Justice of the European Union and free movement of workers, the non-discrimination on the basis of nationality of workers, issues regarding seafarers, and study grants. For more information on the conference, please contact Catherine:
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ICI delivers public information sessions
ICI Information and Referral Service Coordinator, Brian Killoran, recently delivered two public information sessions to migrants and migrant support groups in Galway and Drogheda. The sessions, organised locally by Galway Migrant Service (part of Galway City Partnership) and Culture Connect in Drogheda, covered two main areas - how to become an Irish citizen and the continuing issue of the implications for parents of Irish citizen children of the ‘Zambrano’ decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Many attendees expressed the hope that the recently introduced €175 application fee for citizenship would result in a more reasonable processing time for applications, as some attendees have been waiting over two years to receive a decision in their application. Several individuals also expressed the hope that the Minister for Justice and Equality would take into consideration the economic difficulties facing many families when making decisions regarding their citizenship applications. For more information on the ICI’s series of public information sessions, please contact Brian:
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