Galway City Community Network is holding a public meeting online this week on the implementation of equality and human rights in the public sector.
The online seminar this Friday will outline how civil society groups and those with lived experience of discrimination, inequality and a denial of human rights are in the best position to help public bodies eliminate them in Galway.
The event will also include the launch of the Equality and Rights in Action Galway Project video and community resources for this ongoing effort.
Ann Irwin, GCCN Co-Ordinator said that they are delighted to showcase the work done by the Galway City Civil Society Panel as part of that project.
She added that it has made Galway City a “frontrunner” in implementing the public sector duty to, “eliminate discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and treatment for their staff and service users, and protect the human rights of their employees, customers, service users.”
The Civil Society Panel is the first of its kind in the country, and draws members from communities in Galway City that are protected by equality legislation.
Marian Maloney from Access for All, a partnership of disability organisations and individuals, said that the panel members use their expertise to help public bodies be compliant with the law.
By acting as partners with public bodies they can also “highlight equality and human rights issues” when public bodies fail to protect those rights in the communities they work with.
The Galway City Community Network represents more than 150 voluntary, environmental, and community organisations in the city.
It serves as a bridge between these groups, and the communities they represent and work on behalf of, and Galway City Council.
Further information about this online seminar and the Equality and Rights in Action Project can be found on the GCCN website.
