THERE has been a call for more progress on a racial equality strategy for Northern Ireland amid claims that racism is rife in many aspects of life.
At a meeting hosted by North West Migrants Forum, members of the black and ethnic minority community met representatives of the Executive Office to outline the impact this was having on lives.
They said problems ranged from racist bullying in schools and racially motivated hate crime to the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on ethnic minorities and the lack of representation in public life.
The Racial Equality Strategy was adopted in 2015, with the aim of opening up opportunities for all, eradicating racism and hate crime and promoting good race relations and social cohesion.
However, the forum said that after five years hate crime legislation has yet to be published and race relations legislation in Northern Ireland still lags behind the rest of the UK.
“We are at a crisis point,” said Naomi Green of Belfast Islamic Centre.
“We have lost people in our community to suicide because of racism and harassment. Stuck between orange and green - we don’t have political representatives who speak for us. Without that representation, it falls to The Executive Office to act on racism.”
Naomi Mutolo (25) of the North West Migrants Forum said she had spent 10 years struggling against racism.
"It’s been five years since the Racial Equality Strategy was launched and nothing has changed. I don’t want to be having exactly the same conversation 10 years from now,” she said.
Lilian Seenoi Barr, also from the forum, stressed the need for accountability.
"We need a timetable for action, we need people to take responsibility and we need to move beyond process so that there is proper investment in racial equality, including a more transparent and inclusive relationship with the Racial Equality Unit in the Executive Office," she said.
The group said Dr Mark Brown, deputy permanent secretary and director of strategic policy, equality and good relations in the Executive Office, had stressed the government's commitment to the Racial Equality Strategy.
