Human rights being denied in Ireland today – One Family launches human rights publication

One-parent family organisation One Family today calls on Government to ensure that one-parent families are no longer denied many of their basic human rights.

Speaking at the launch of their new publication, Human Rights and One-Parent Families, One Family Director, Karen Kiernan, said that ‘we tend to think of human rights as something that is denied to people in other, less affluent countries, but the stark reality is that many families in Ireland are denied their basic human rights. Human rights are more than just political, and many one-parent families in Ireland suffer from a lack of basic legal, economic and social rights. The Constitution’ she continues, ‘underpins such inequalities in its failure to recognise the rights of non-marital families and children.’

Human rights are the key to ensuring an equitable and fair future for everyone in Ireland. ‘As individuals and a society we must take ownership of human rights and no longer leave it in the preserve of legal experts. The lack of basic human rights experienced by one-parent families is reflected in such families being three times more likely to live in poverty, having lower educational levels and experiencing real difficulties accessing housing and other services. Poverty is not a simple issue of there not being enough to go around, it is a denial of basic human rights’, said Candy Murphy, One Family’s Policy & Campaigns Manager.

One Family are launching Human Rights and One-Parent Families, to dispel the myth that human rights is an issue best left to legal experts. The booklet is designed to empower those working with one-parent families to lobby for real change and to advance the rights of one-parent families, and indeed, everyone in Ireland. One Family are delighted to have the booklet launched by Dr Maurice Manning, President of the Irish Human Rights Commission.

As a specialist family support organisation with nearly 35 years experience of working with one-parent families, One Family believes that Government should embrace human rights and the potential it has to better the lives of everyone in Ireland.

‘It has been proved time and again that investment in change leads to a reduction in the long-term costs of supporting the more marginalised and vulnerable groups in society’ said Ms Murphy. ‘Investment in early childhood care and education is a perfect example of how addressing people’s rights at the outset leads to a more positive outcome for everyone, providing people with the tools to create a better future for themselves and their children, and to contribute more effectively to society.’

ENDS
For further information contact:
Ruth Coleman 01 662 9212/086 174 2315 or Karen Kiernan 01 662 9212/086 850 9191

NOTES TO EDITORS

The booklet Human Rights and One-Parent Families is an easy-to-read introduction to human rights and how they can be used to advance the rights of one-parent families in Ireland.
Foreword written by Mary Robinson
Copies of the booklet are available free by calling 01 662 9212 or a PDF can be downloaded here.