Towards Increased participation of Africans in the Northern Ireland Public sphere.

Created by Khanyisela Moyo,   TJI & ACSONI, 13 September 2007

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 Introduction

            In common with many other immigrants in Europe, Africans in Northern Ireland are often poor and have been deprived of any democratic rights, including the right to participate in public life. Nevertheless, in their five year race equality strategy, the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First minister foresee their goal as the establishment of a society where there is support, understanding and respect of racial diversity.[1]  This is a society where racism is not tolerated and where people live together harmoniously enjoying both equality of opportunity and protection. One of their strategies for furthering this  ideal  is the ‘ increased  participation  and a sense of “ belonging” of people  from minority  ethnic  backgrounds in public, political , economic, social  and cultural life’. Since  Northern Ireland is itself a society in transition and  the OFMDFM ‘s vision was formulated barely two years ago it is still to be seen whether  Africans are going to be adequately and meaning fully  represented in this society’s public life.

            The paper conveys the message that while achieving effective participation by Africans in the Northern Ireland’s public arena will obviously take some time, in contrast to England and Wales, the environment is enabling since policy makers are approachable and the white residents are always eager to interact. At the first instance, this paper will present a brief legal justification for the increased participation of Africans in the Northern Ireland public life. Secondly, it will state the practical benefits of this participation. Thirdly, it will highlight the factors which have prevented the Africans from actively participating and opportunities for doing so.  Finally, it will give an overview of the strategies which have been formulated by Africans to ensure that they shape decisions and policies concerning their group. This section will narrowly focus on the activities of the Afro-Community Support Organization Northern Ireland (ACSONI).

 The legal basis

             The right of members of minorities to participate in shaping decisions and policies concerning their group and community, at the local, national and international levels is spelt out in a number of international and regional human rights instruments. These include, inter alia,

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights[2];
• The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; [3]
• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;[4]
• Convention on the Rights of the Child;[5]
• The Declaration on the Rights of Persons; Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities;[6]
• The Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM).[7]

      In Northern Ireland, the state’s commitment to create conditions for such participation is manifest in a number of legal standards including the;

• Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997[8] and
• The Northern Ireland Act 1998 [9]

            It is therefore axiomatic that Africans who are long term residents of Northern Ireland have a legally recognized right to participate in the public arena.

 Practical benefits of participation.

            Northern Ireland is a society which claims to have made the passage to democratic rule and is therefore expected to live up to its democratic credentials.  In democratic societies all citizens are entitled to participate in both public and private life. Democratic societies aim at treating all their citizens equally and participation contributes to the attainment of this ideal.

            Allowing Africans to participate in the public arena is synonymous with giving them a voice. It is important that this voice should come from representatives of that community or at least people whom are knowledgeable of the specifics of the group.  This is more so considering that many erroneous decisions have been made, often under assumptions which are not influenced by any insider knowledge of the group. It is simply not good enough that the majority Caucasian population, which has not been socialized within a fully multi-cultural society, continues to make decisions for all groups.

            It   is indisputable that for public institutions and bodies to treat all groups with dignity and respect, there must be an awareness of the concerns of that group. It is submitted that needs of Africans can be best articulated by their representatives. This applies in particular to frontline service providers such as the PSNI and the Housing executive. This year at a meeting which the PSNI minority liaison officer had with the Africans in Belfast which I attended, it emerged that most Africans did not bother reporting cases of racial discrimination to the police as they felt that their claims were not taken seriously. Also low income Africans were reluctant to avail themselves of social housing since they have noted that some members of their groups have had graffiti scrawled in properties allocated to them even before they moved into those premises. They have therefore assumed that some housing officials would have alerted the locals of an ‘undesirable’ new tenant before   their moving in date.

             Further, as the OFMDFM has noted, increased participation by Africans in the public arena could be one of the strategies for curbing racism. As Africans interact with the local population, mutual respect and understanding can be fostered.

Hurdles and Opportunities 

            A few years ago, the atmosphere was seen as not warranting participation by Africans because of their numeric inferiority. The 2001 census estimated that they were about in Northern Ireland 1126 members of the African community in Northern Ireland. This number could now be in excess of 5000 as the 1998 Northern Ireland peace agreement did not just usher peace in the country, it also made the place a viable destination for many Africans who were in need of a new home. This changing climate therefore necessitates effective representation for this group.

             Just like the locals, Africans might have previously felt that those public bodies were sectarian and unfair and could not deal with their needs thus their reluctance to be involved with them. It is hoped that the reform of these bodies has changed this group’s perceptions of the same.

            Further, the sectarian perspective of Northern Ireland politics precluded Africans from being members of any political party. It is however hoped that the election of the ethnic minority MLA will change the group’s view of politics and will encourage Africans to vie for the top positions. It is a fact that there are no visible Africans in the public arena and it is my hope that the ethnic minority MLA will also champion the interests of Africans. She is however, not expected to fully do so since she has no insider knowledge of this group.

 African Initiatives: The case of Afro-Community Support Organization Northern Ireland.

            In view of the changing times, and to fill the gaps pointed out above, it is encouraging to note that Africans have developed their own networks which are largely supported by policy makers both financially and otherwise.  The Afro-Community Support Organization Northern Ireland (ACSONI) is one such group. I will discuss this group since as its management board intern I have insider knowledge of its workings.

            ACSONI was formed in July 2003 as an independent community-based organization, because although the Afro community is one of the largest minority ethnic communities in Northern Ireland, information on the life and experiences of black Africans, African–Caribbean’s and other Afro-descendants in Northern Ireland is virtually non-existent.

            It was borne out of a series of consultations and focus groups carried out with individuals from the Afro-Caribbean, African and other Afro descendant communities. The work was funded by the South Belfast Highway to Health between 2003 and July 2005. The focus group carried out a needs-assessment to explore gaps in service provision for this community. One of the outcomes of the needs-assessment was the lack of resources, community support and infrastructure to address specific needs of individuals from the African continent, the Afro-Caribbean and other individuals of African descent. ACSONI is now a registered charity and a member of the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities.

            Quite significantly, ACSONI   is managed by elected volunteers who represent the organization on government and community bodies.  Currently, board members sit on the management committees of the Housing Executive, PSNI/NI Policing Board, NICEM, and the All Party Working Group. We have recently applied to be members of the Bill of Rights Consortium.  As the only woman on the board, I also sit on the management committee of Women into Politics. Having representatives in these bodies is a very good initiative as it gives us the opportunity to input into policy making.

            To avoid tokenism and ensure genuine representation, we have periodically encouraged spokesperson or representatives of bodies   that we are represented on to come and address the Afro- community at our monthly socials. This gives these bodies a chance to understand the needs of our group and formulate their policies accordingly. With respect to non-governmental organizations like Women into Politics, whose work is to empower women, we have ensured that these groups include African women in their training programs. It is hoped that such programs will translate into greater African female participation in the public arena.

              Finally, as the month of October this year marks the Bicentennial celebration of the abolition of Slavery, ACSONI has been working tirelessly to mark this event. As we celebrate 200 years of the abolition of slavery, ACSONI wishes to highlight challenges which we must tackle, which perhaps discourage Africans from fully participating in the Northern Ireland public life. These contemporary forms of slavery include racism, (both institutional and individually), discrimination, segregation, unfair employment, and other equality issues that effect Africans here. Until these issues are directly confronted and attitudes of people are changed the full participation of Africans in the Northern Ireland public sphere will remain minimal.

Conclusion

            As mentioned above, Northern Ireland is a society in transition. Often, transitional contexts create opportunities for the inclusion of those who have been previously excluded. It is therefore hoped that politicians will take representations by African community leaders seriously and not use such encounters as tick-box exercises. Consequently in future Africans in Northern Ireland may fully enjoy the right to participate in shaping policies which affect them and the community they live in.