THE debate and discussion surrounding the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights should focus on human rights in the Irish as well as the international context.
Human rights should include: the right to have your basic needs met; the right to earn a living; the right to enjoy your culture; and the right to live free from discrimination. Travellers live their lives with limited access to these rights.
Take the right to good accommodation: over one-quarter of the Traveller community lives without access to basic facilities such as water, electricity or sewage. The Traveller movement welcomes the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998. This sets out a national framework to clear the backlog in Traveller accommodation over a five-year period.
However, legislation on its own will not change the reality. All local authorities in consultation with Traveller organisations must now implement the requirements of the Act if this is to change.
Travellers are often hindered from exercising the right to earn a living. Legislation such as the Control of Horses Act (1997) or the Casual Trading Act (1995) is enacted without regard to its effect on traditional income generating activities of Travellers. Equally, the regulations governing waste management are implemented without taking account of the role played by Travellers in scrap collection.
These changes block the development of the Traveller economy. Ways should be found to help Travellers comply with the legislative requirements while supporting their traditional economic activity.
Increasingly, Travellers are availing of employment opportunities in the mainstream labour market. The recentlyenacted employment equality legislation should protect Travellers from workplace discrimination.
The right to enjoy one's culture is central to Travellers exercising their human rights. The experience for Travellers is that the dominant "sedentary" culture has denied that Travellers have a culture.
The report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community (1995) recommended "that the distinct culture and identity of the Traveller community be recognised and taken into account". This recommendation is simple but of crucial importance.
If taken seriously it would redress the past imbalances caused by the failure to recognise Travellers culture as valid.
Discrimination is a daily feature of Travellers' lives. The continued failure of successive governments to enact equal status legislation is a major blot on the Irish human rights record.
When addressing the human rights of Travellers it is important to remember the different interests within the Traveller community. We must look at the different needs of Traveller women or Travellers with a disability. We must address the needs of the diverse range of people who make up the Traveller community.
There has been some progress. The standard of Traveller accommodation has improved. The analysis informing the response to Travellers is more respectful of their distinct culture. Travellers themselves are better resourced to articulate their own views.
Over the past decade, much work has been done to make Irish society aware of the reality of Travellers' lives. The next five years will be crucial in deciding if, in this regard, Irish society is humane and decent.
Fintan Farrell is coordinator of the Irish Traveller Movement at 4-5 Eustace Street, Dublin 2.