We continue to call on the NI Executive to take urgent action to address racial equality.

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Recommendations to tackle racism in Northern Ireland

Racial equality made the news headlines in recent weeks as PSNI figures showed that racial hate incidents have reached an all-time high. These figures do not take into account the multiple acts of intimidation, damage to property and businesses of minority ethnic people and acts of violence against them, following several anti-immigration protests in August.

Although Northern Ireland has become an increasingly diverse society over the last twenty years, progress on developing effective measures to tackle racism and racial inequality have been painstakingly slow.

We call on the NI Executive to take urgent action to address racial equality.

"To eradicate racism, we need a concerted response across society, with clear direction, commitment and action. We will only succeed in tackling racism and achieve racial equality in Northern Ireland if we have high level commitment and leadership from government."

Geraldine McGahey, Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission

UNCERD supports our recommendations to address racial equality

Following the recent racist attacks, we had the opportunity to present to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD) the issues we believe need addressed to tackle race discrimination in Northern Ireland.

Subsequently, an UNCERD report supported our calls for the delivery of a renewed and effective Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland. Their report reflected many of the recommendations we brought to their attention, including our calls to

update race equality law to strengthen and simplify protections from discrimination
deliver updated hate crime legislation which strengthens protections and builds confidence
implement ethnic minority monitoring
deliver an effective Refugee Integration Strategy
develop an outcome focused Racial Equality Strategy

We hope their support for many of our recommendations will further encourage the NI Executive to take urgent action.

Read our blog from Paul Noonan

Read the UNCERD report

Addressing the impact of Brexit on racial equality in Northern Ireland

We have also made recommendations to Government that will help address some of the impacts on minority ethnic and migrant people that may have been caused by Brexit.

They are based on research and engagement carried out by the Equality Commission that showed some of the negative effects Brexit has had on the lives of minority ethnic and migrant people, and the barriers they have faced, including in accessing services. Many also believed that racism had increased since Brexit.

These recommendations align with our wider work on racial equality outlined above. But they also focus on addressing the impact of Brexit and ensuring the UK and NI governments fulfil their obligations in the Windsor Framework. We need the government to

urgently review the EU Settlement Scheme and the obstacles and barriers it causes, and ensure lessons are learnt and reflected in current and future schemes.
reduce barriers and raise awareness amongst migrant people in Northern Ireland of their rights and entitlements regarding access to public services post Brexit, including clarifying rules and entitlements relating to cross-border and all-island health care services.
ensure that organisations who provide advice and support to minority ethnic and migrant groups are properly funded to meet additional need as a result of Brexit.
raise awareness amongst employers in Northern Ireland of the rights of EU migrant workers after Brexit so as to avoid racial discrimination when hiring workers.
ensure the Illegal Migration Act follows international human rights rules and does not reduce the rights of asylum seekers and refugees in Northern Ireland, in line with the Windsor Framework.

Read our recommendations to address the impact of Brexit on minority ethnic and migrant people

Equality Commission for Northern Ireland