Equality Commission For Northern Ireland

Where can you turn if you think you've been discriminated against? One thing you can do is visit our website for information on your rights, but you can also ring 9-5 for free and confidential information. Here's the video to explain: ow.ly/DWFf50kNfjD

Can you see yourself as an Equality Commissioner? The NIO is recruiting 1 deputy chief commissioner and 7 commissioners: http://ow.ly/FYzz30nC6nY Closing date is 15 Feb 2019. Hear Commissioner Judith Gillespie talk about public life: http://ow.ly/wYK830nC6nu video, subtitles, 52s

The 28th Fair Employment Monitoring Report is published today. Visit http://ow.ly/XTeU30nBjot to see summary and full reports. The monitored workforce consists of an estimated 66 - 68% of those in employment. Those not monitored include people working in private sector concerns with 10 or less employees, the self-employed, people on government training schemes and school teachers. The total monitored workforce in 2017 was 540,897, an increase of 6,395 (1.19%) from the previous year. Of that total, 250,850 (46.4 %) was Protestant; 240,275 (44.4%) Roman Catholic, and 59,772 (9.2%) non-determined.

Today is NI Helplines Awareness Day - our helpline is for people who want to challenge discrimination. Our advice is free and confidential and we can help you identify unlawful discrimination and what to do next to challenge it. Our helpline is staffed by a small team of discrimination advice officers - this new video features one of them, Bronagh, and BSL interpreter Heather Thompson. http://ow.ly/UrAy30nBozg

Come and make your points about what needs to be done to make a fairer future for Travellers in NI. We need to focus on the inequalities facing Travellers, especially in education and employment. 'Nothing about us without us' - so come and join in the discussion, let us know what you think. Free but please let us know you are coming - click the link below and register.

We're supporting a public lecture by Professor Richard Wilkinson at this year's Imagine Belfast Festival of ideas and politics. Prof Wilkinson is co-author, with Kate Pickett, of The Spirit Level and The Inner Level. He'll be speaking at 7.30 pm on Thursday 28 March in the Canada Rooms, Queen's University, Belfast BT7 1NN. Book online with Imagine Belfast at http://ow.ly/B4s530nuyMA

Have you filled in our workplace survey yet? We're still seeking employees' and employers' feedback on their workplaces - If you haven't already responded, then please visit http://ow.ly/6s8u30nuAzF - the results will help us improve our guidance to employers.

A very literal take on the work/life balance. BBC video 2m 30s http://ow.ly/Bt9130ntAVV

Can you see yourself as an equality commissioner? The NIO has today advertised vacancies for one deputy chief commissioner post and seven commissioners. Full details online at http://ow.ly/fT2E30nvC2P

Tuesday 5 Feb is the start of Chinese New Year! It's the Year of the Pig. The British Council has a free downloadable education pack for teachers to help children 7-11 learn about it: http://ow.ly/GDvI30npbAO

In today's Belfast News Letter business pages, Chief Commissioner Michael Wardlow writes about the equality issues that can arise when women staff members go through the menopause. How to support staff and help ensure the smooth running of their businesses: http://ow.ly/ZUtQ30ntTQ6

Traveller Focus event, 12 February, 10:30am - 12:30pm, Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, presentations and discussions followed by lunch. You are invited to an event which will focus on the equality issues faced by Travellers in Northern Ireland. We will hear first-hand from Travellers and those who work with them about what needs to be done to eradicate the inequalities facing them in education, employment and to tackle prejudice, amongst other issues. Our Key Inequalities work ...identified persistent inequalities experienced by the Traveller community. To tackle these inequalities we have included commitments in our draft Corporate Plan for the next three years. We believe it is important to build partnerships to deliver on our commitments. It's crucial that the voices of Travellers are heard and that they inform this work. We will hear from Martin Collins (Pavee Point), on how the Traveller and Roma Strategy was developed in the Republic of Ireland and Bernadette McAliskey (Step NI) will discuss the equality issues raised by Travellers in her area. This will be followed by a panel discussion with panellists Amy Ward, Barbara Purcell, Mark Donahue and Ned Doherty, all members of the Irish Traveller led movement Tóme Anoshá. A range of equality issues will be covered with an opportunity for questions and answers from the audience, finishing at 12.30pm with lunch and networking. Who should attend? We are especially interested in hearing from Travellers themselves and those who are willing to share their experiences, opinions and ideas on realising Travellers' rights. This event will be of particular interest to Travellers, Traveller support groups, public sector frontline and policy officers, local councillors and community organisations who are committed to improving racial equality in Northern Ireland. http://ow.ly/zi3P30nq0xu
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Six women from Northern Ireland outline six of the main priorities for action in gender equality here.

Many thanks to all of our speakers, panellists and delegates at the #CEDAW event today. If you weren't able to attend and pick up a print copy of the new CEDAW Shadow Report, here's the link to the publication on our website: http://ow.ly/3bh830npcVa The link to our CEDAW page with full information about the Convention: http://www.equalityni.org/cedaw The UN Committee will examine the UK Government about its progress on CEDAW in February 2019. Northern Ireland Human Rights... Commission NIWEP Department for Communities University of Ulster
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Interesting BBC piece on sexual harassment at work - with a quiz. http://ow.ly/Flw830nkzRP

Our CEDAW event next Tuesday 22 January in Malone House looks at priority equality issues affecting women in Northern Ireland that need addressed by Government. It comes ahead of the examination in Spring 2019 by the UN Committee on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) of the UK Government's progress in advancing women's equality, including in Northern Ireland. You will hear from a number of expert speakers who are working to promote women's equality and human rights, who will outline the challenges and opportunities facing Government, including through a panel discussion. Attendance is free, but please register online. http://ow.ly/koMa30nlsp9