Funding boost for human rights project

THE Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has announced that two Blanchardstown projects have been awarded funding for their work focused on human rights and equality.

Blanchardstown Traveller Development Group will use the funding to provide training on accommodation rights to Travellers in the greater Blanchardstown area to enable them to deliver confident peer support to other Travellers in the area on their rights.

The Ifrah Foundation, also based in Blanchardstown, will use its funding to produce a leaflet on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), in Somali.

The leaflet will outline the services available at the Irish Family Planning Association’s free FGM Treatment Service. Volunteer ambassadors will also be trained to increase awareness among Somali women of the negative health consequences of FGM, the law in Ireland prohibiting it, and the services available for survivors.

Now in its fourth year, the Commission’s Human Rights and Equality Grants Scheme awards small grants of up to €6,000 and general grants of up to €20,000 to support civil society organisations in Ireland.

The funding is used to promote the development of economic and social rights across three thematic areas namely housing/accommodation, health and decent work.

The Commission received 112 applications to the grant scheme from across the country.

In total 28 organisations are to be awarded a total of €350,000 in funding for projects under the Commission’s Human Rights and Equality Grants Scheme 2019.

Since 2016 the Commission has supported 108 human rights and equality projects across Ireland through the scheme, including research programmes, training or resource activities, conferences or events and cultural initiatives.

“The Human Rights and Equality Grant Scheme is part of the Commission’s statutory power as Ireland’s national human rights and equality body, supporting initiatives, including these Blanchardstown projects, that will advance economic and social rights for people across Ireland,” said Emily Logan, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.

Ifrah Ahmed, from the Ifrah Foundation spoke about its work.

“Woman in Ireland have a right to access appropriate health services,” she said.

“There are extensive services available to survivors of Female Genital Mutilation in Ireland. This project will reach into the Somali community, working with members of the community, to share information on what those services are and offer support on how to access them.

“We anticipate there to be an increased awareness and accessing of services amongst survivors of FGM."