Immigrant Council of Ireland statement to mark International Women’s Day
Immigrant Council of Ireland statement to mark International Women’s Day.
Today, we pay tribute to the women of Ireland, including all those from a migrant background. Through our work, we have the repeated honour of meeting and working with women who have made Ireland their home, and in turn, have sought to enrich and empower the entire community around them. They are community leaders, volunteers, activists, experts, local politicians, lawyers, mothers, carers, and much more. Their energy, determination, skills and presence enrich Ireland and reflect the truly diverse and inclusive country that we are.
The immigration system in Ireland often disempowers women and places them in situations of disadvantage. Immigration status which makes them dependent on their partner, unable to easily work or study, hinders their progress and independence unnecessarily. In situations of gender-based violence, their escaping that situation can include additional barriers than other women. In situations of human trafficking, women are by far the predominant group suffering exploitation. Women in Direct Provision continue to suffer the isolation, instability and often unsafe nature of that system.
We call on the State to reform Ireland’s immigration system to better empower women:
- Remove dependent immigration status.
- Provide a statutory footing to independent immigration status in situations of domestic violence.
- Complete the process of reforming Ireland's approach to identifying survivors of human trafficking.
- Publish a revised approach to abolish the Direct Provision system.
We celebrate these powerful women of Ireland, and stand as allies with them, today and every day.