for legislation on multiple discrimination both at national and European levels, which if
implemented could be very significant for the issues we are considering here today.
Ireland
In an Irish context and forgive me mentioning my own country, I’m very conscious of the significant
and ongoing importance of the organisations of minority women themselves. I’m specifically
conscious of the ways in which the National Traveller Women’s Forum and the AKIDWA African
women’s network have created significant waves with regard to not just the visibility of women from
minorities, but also with regard to realising their rights and moving forward their agendas. However,
I’m also very conscious in the Irish context of the impact of our well publicised recession on women
in general and minority women in particular. Migrant women and women from minorities globally
create opportunities for majority women to be able to participate in the workforce through their work
for example as housekeepers, child minders and domestic labour. In a recession they are blamed
for taking jobs no one else will do. Then when they loose their visas and
status, not through
their own fault but through actions or lack of them by others they face deportation.