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Ireland and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

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Ireland and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women IHREC CEDAW Report IHREC CEDAW Ireland and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Submission to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women on Ireland’s // January 2017 // combined sixth and seventh periodic reports January 2017 Ireland and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Submission to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women on Ireland’s combined sixth and seventh periodic reports January 2017 First published in January 2017 by Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission 16–22 Green Street, Dublin 7, D07 CR20. Copyright © Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission 2017 The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) was established under statute on 1 November 2014 to protect and promote human rights and equality in Ireland, to promote a culture of respect for human rights, equality and intercultural understanding, to promote understanding and awareness of the importance of human rights and equality, and to work towards the elimination of human rights abuses and discrimination. ISBN 978-0-9957296-1-2 Contents Overview of Issues and Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 6 Background to the Report .................................................................................................................................................20 1. General Observations on the Implementation of CEDAW ........................................................................................24 1.1 Status of CEDAW in Domestic Law .........................................................................................................................25 1.2 Reservations to CEDAW ..........................................................................................................................................26 1.3 Gaps in the Ratification of International Human Rights Standards Relevant to Women ...................................27 1.4 Monitoring Mechanisms for the Implementation of International Human Rights Law......................................28 1.4.1 Governmental oversight ..................................................................................................................................28 1.4.2 Parliamentary oversight ..................................................................................................................................29 1.5 Data Collection .........................................................................................................................................................30 1.6 Human Rights and Equality Training ....................................................................................................................... 31 2. Legal Framework on Gender Equality (Article 2) .........................................................................................................32 2.1 Concept of Discrimination in Irish Law ...................................................................................................................33 2.2 Availability of Effective Remedies ...........................................................................................................................35 2.3 Accessibility of Effective Remedies ........................................................................................................................38 2.3.1 Civil legal aid ......................................................................................................................................................38 2.3.2 Legal assistance for mothers with intellectual disability..............................................................................38 2.3.3 IHREC’s legal assistance and information functions ....................................................................................39 3. Access to Justice in Relation to Historical Abuses of Women’s Rights (Articles 2(c), 3, 5(a) and 15) ............................40 3.1 State Obligations with Respect to Access to Justice and Effective Remedies .................................................. 41 3.2 Magdalene Laundries ...............................................................................................................................................42 3.3 Symphysiotomy ........................................................................................................................................................43 3.4 Mother and Baby Homes ..........................................................................................................................................45 4. National Machinery for the Advancement of Women (Article 3) ..............................................................................46 4.1 Public Sector Duty .................................................................................................................................................... 47 4.2 National Women’s Strategy.....................................................................................................................................48 4.3 Gender Proofing the Budgetary and Policy-Making Processes ...........................................................................49 4.4 Public Procurement and Business and Human Rights ...........................................................................................50 IHREC CEDAW Report // January 2017 3 5. Stereotyping (Article 5) .................................................................................................................................................52 5.1 Article 41.2 of the Constitution of Ireland ..............................................................................................................53 5.2 Measures Taken to Address Stereotypes ..............................................................................................................54 5.3 Gender Stereotyping in the Media and in Advertising ..........................................................................................56 6. Gender-Based Violence (Articles 2, 5, 11, 12 and 16) .................................................................................................58 6.1 Legal Framework on Gender-Based Violence ........................................................................................................60 6.2 Availability and Accessibility of Accommodation for Victims of Domestic Violence ........................................62 6.2.1 Emergency Accommodation...........................................................................................................................62 6.2.2 Social Housing ..................................................................................................................................................63 6.3 Multiple Discrimination and Violence Motivated by Prejudice .............................................................................64 6.4 Female Genital Mutilation ........................................................................................................................................65 7. Trafficking and Exploitation of Prostitution (Article 6) ...............................................................................................66 7.1 Legal and Policy Framework on Human Trafficking ...............................................................................................67 7.2 Accommodation of Victims of Trafficking in Direct Provision Centres ...............................................................68 7.3 Exploitation of Prostitution .....................................................................................................................................70 8. Participation in Public Life, Civil Society and Sport (Articles 4, 7, 8 and 13) ..........................................................72 8.1 Participation in Politics (Article 7(a)) ....................................................................................................................... 73 8.2 Participation in Formulation of Government Policy (Article 7(b)) ........................................................................ 74 8.3 Participation in Civil Society (Article 7(c)) .............................................................................................................. 75 8.4 Participation in Sport (Article 13(c)) ....................................................................................................................... 76 9. Women, Peace, Security and International Protection (Articles 1-3, 5 (a) and 15) ..................................................78 9.1 UNSCR 1325 and Northern Ireland .........................................................................................................................79 9.2 Law and Policy Framework on International Protection .......................................................................................80 10. Education (Article 10) ...................................................................................................................................................82 10.1 Stereotyping in Education .....................................................................................................................................83 10.2 Sexual and Reproductive Health Education in Schools ......................................................................................84
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