In from the Margin Seminar ‘Women Celebrating Diversity, Challenging Racism’

Published: Monday, June 16, 2003

"No to racism, yes to interculturalism!" This was the rallying cry as over 100 women from community-based groups in the midlands came together today at a seminar in Tullamore to take action to challenge racism and celebrate diversity among women.

Keynote speaker, Margaret Ward of the Tullamore Travellers Movement, described the situation for Travellers in Ireland and their common experience of racism: "Travellers face discrimination in all walks of life, they are refused access to services on a regular basis, such as. shops, launderettes, pubs, beauticians etc." "Traveller women are not only discriminated against because we are Travellers, but because we are women," stated Ms. Ward. "Institutional Racism has a detrimental affect on Traveller Women, it affects their access to accommodation, education, employment and also their health status and general standard of living, " she continued.

'Women from minority ethnic groups face both sexism and racism, this is a double burden which severely limits their life options," said Martha Hannan, of the National Women's Council of Ireland. "As we celebrate World Refugee Day on June 20th, it is time that the government recognise the right to work for asylum seekers. Without the right to work, women asylum seekers are kept in limbo, financially dependent on the state or their partners" Ms. Hannan stated. She demanded a strong government commitment to tackle institutional racism that affects women's lives in Ireland, calling for "greater availability of affordable housing and childcare, increased commitment to intercultural education in schools and the implementation of anti-racism training for all government staff and decision makers."

The seminar highlighted strong local efforts of women's groups working to build an inter-cultural society. In her address to the seminar speaker Judith Magaji of the Longford African Women's Group stated: "We believe that the earlier this society begins to see the arrival of immigrants as positive events, the better - this will help us to begin to appreciate one another and respect the basic rights of all individuals." "This change I believe is both positive and possible", Magaji stated and pointed to the work of the Longford Intercultural Awareness Group as one example of a good initiative that says: "Interculturalism is here to stay!"

This seminar is organised by the NWCI as part of its In From The Margin Project1, which is working to create change for women on poverty, anti racism and health.