UN Human Rights Committee incorporates recommendations by ATU researchers

A UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural rights which thisweek published their concluding observations on the fourth periodic report of Ireland have incorporated a series of recommendations made by ATU researchers on regional disparities in Ireland.

This was the first time the Northwest of Ireland was identified by a UN human rights committee as a point of dialogue with the Irish Government.

The UN Committee voiced their concern about reported regional disparities in the enjoyment of economic, social, and cultural rights in Ireland.

In the committee’s concluding observations they recommended to the Irish Government to take all necessary measures to close gaps in the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights with a focus on the Northwest region, border and coastal communities. The Committee gave particular emphasis to social and public services, employment opportunities, adequate housing, and access to education and training, in the Northwest Region.

ATU researchers had submitted a parallel report to the Committee prior to the UN Committee’s review of Ireland’s adherence to their human rights commitments. In addition, ATU researchers made an oral statement during the informal briefing by civil society to the UN Committee.

In their submission, ATU Researcher had highlighted the need for the Irish Government to support initiatives to increase balanced regional development, and to prioritise the need for sustainable economic development for rural and coastal communities in the Northwest region.

Other recommendations by the research team to the UN Committee included the issues of business and human rights, climate mitigation and coastal communities, homelessness in the Northwest, access to youth mental health services, gender pay gap, and various barriers to Education, including transport issues for students.

The team from ATU Sligo involved in writing the parallel report was Niamh Harkin, PhD Candidate, Jonathan Martin, MA Research student, Mahdieh Raji, Postdoctoral Researcher, Matthew Skerritt, PhD candidate, Anaya Tiwari, PhD Candidate, and who worked in conjunction with Christina McTaggart, CEO Sligo Social Services.

The team and submission to the UN Committee was coordinated by Dr. Leonard Taylor, lecturer in Human Rights Law, ATU Sligo.