Women's Human Rights Alliance
The National Women's Council of Ireland has been a member of the Women's Human Rights Alliance (WHRA) since 2003.
Who we are?
The Women's Human Rights Alliance is a broad coalition of local, regional and national non-governmental organizations; including Amnesty International, Banulacht, National Traveller Women's Forum, National Collective of Community Women's Networks, The Irish Family Planning Association, AKiDwA, Women's Aid, Cairde, Pavee Point, Immigrant Council of Ireland, the Migrant Rights Centre, the Irish Council for Civil liberties, the Irish Human Rights Commission etc.
What do we do?
The WHRA come together make responses to Irish Government reports on their human rights obligations under the UN conventions of Human Rights.
WHRA is currently preparing a Shadow Report, on the Government's progress on its commitment to uphold the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICSECR)
Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966 entry into force 3 January 1976, in accordance with article 27
Link: ICESCR Presentation
A Shadow Report is an alternative report to the 'Official Version' which the Irish Government and all other States, who have signed the Covenant, prepare for International monitoring committee's consideration. It is anticipated that the Government will produce its report by the end of 2009.
WHRA want to focus our Shadow Report on the Right to Health and particularly on the social determinants of health. Article 12.1 of the Covenant recognizes the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. We hope that these processes of engagement give NGOs and women's organisations an opportunity to show how changes in government policies can impact positively or negatively on women's health status. This means that as well as looking at the factors that affect access to good quality health care, we are also interested in all of the factors that affect women's health and well-being
Current WHRA Campaign: A Women's Right to Health
WHRA organised a series of nine participatory "Women's Right to Health" workshops to raise awareness of the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and to gather the views of a diverse range of women in relation to their experiences in relation to health and health care in Ireland.
The workshops took place around the country over the summer, attracting the participation of 200 women from different backgrounds and experiences.The workshop findings have been collated, by our Researcher, Dr. Jane Pillinger, to accompany the WHRA shadow report to the UN International Committee on the International Covenant of Economic, Social, Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
There is still an opportunity for women's groups to make a submission to this consultation process.
On 14th September 2009, 12 representatives from the WHRA met with Ms Orla Keane, the Deputy Director of the Human Rights Unit, (Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform). The Department were keen to know about the work and membership of the WHRA and stated at that meeting its full intention to keep its commitments to engaging and consulting with the NGO sector on reports to UN human rights committees. This would include resources for representatives of the women's movement attending the hearings in Geneva in 2010- 2011. Department of Foreign Affairs Staff confirmed that the Government intends to publish its report to the ICESCR before the Budget 2009. We are still awaiting the dates for the consultation process to begin.