"Currently, many participatory processes are limited to 'consultation' – a higher authority giving information to or extracting information from members of the public. Participatory processes that are not designed and implemented with a human rights perspective may in fact be disempowering, and serve to exclude or reinforce existing power structures. In contrast, human rights-based participation is an important tool to
empower people living in poverty by allowing them to exercise their voice to influence relevant decision-making processes." - Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona
Minister O'Sullivan needs to realise that consultation is not enough. The current situation allows local authorities to dictate the levels of participation afforded to residents. In some cases, like Fatima Mansions in Dublin, it's good but in most, like Limerick's regeneration areas, it is practically non-existent.
In her 2011 report to the United Nations Human Rights Commission on her Mission to Ireland the Special Rapporteur praised the Fatima Mansions model as an example of best practice and recommended "The State should consider adopting a legislative framework for a National Public Housing Estates Regeneration Programme to ensure that international human rights standards and community participation are ensured in all regeneration projects in the country…"
The recent consultations in Limerick's regeneration areas were designed to exclude and to "reinforce existing power structures".
Fair play to Clare Daly for raising this matter with the minister when our own public representatives (including the Minister) chose to ignore us.
Ballinacurra Weston Residents' Alliance
Posted on 28 Feb 2014 2:43 pm
"Currently, many participatory processes are limited to 'consultation' – a higher authority giving information to or extracting information from members of the public. Participatory processes that are not designed and implemented with a human rights perspective may in fact be disempowering, and serve to exclude or reinforce existing power structures. In contrast, human rights-based participation is an important tool to
empower people living in poverty by allowing them to exercise their voice to influence relevant decision-making processes." - Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona
Minister O'Sullivan needs to realise that consultation is not enough. The current situation allows local authorities to dictate the levels of participation afforded to residents. In some cases, like Fatima Mansions in Dublin, it's good but in most, like Limerick's regeneration areas, it is practically non-existent.
In her 2011 report to the United Nations Human Rights Commission on her Mission to Ireland the Special Rapporteur praised the Fatima Mansions model as an example of best practice and recommended "The State should consider adopting a legislative framework for a National Public Housing Estates Regeneration Programme to ensure that international human rights standards and community participation are ensured in all regeneration projects in the country…"
The recent consultations in Limerick's regeneration areas were designed to exclude and to "reinforce existing power structures".
Fair play to Clare Daly for raising this matter with the minister when our own public representatives (including the Minister) chose to ignore us.
For more information visit: http://www.bwra.blogspot.ie/2014/02/united-nations-support-f...