Dublin – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, this week (21/11) organized a Migrant Information Day event in collaboration with the New Communities Partnership (NCP), a migrant-led umbrella organization in Ireland.

Held at the Dublin headquarters of the Irish Human Rights Equality Commission, the event was attended by David Stanton TD, Minister of State for Justice at the Department of Justice and Equality with special responsibility for Equality, Immigration, and Integration, who spoke about the importance of providing information to migrants.

Emily Logan, the Human Rights and Equality Chief Commissioner, also addressed the audience which included migrants from Ireland’s Direct Provision Centres, where people seeking asylum in Ireland are housed.

The event brought together organizations that directly support migrants in alleviating their day-to-day issues and smoothen their integration.

Based on the work of NCP and IOM Ireland, and with the help of various community leaders and individuals, the organizers identified five main areas where people from new communities look for information, support and advocacy, namely:

• Employment – support in accessing labour market, work activation and CV writing;
• Health – accessing health services, practical advice in obtaining a medical card and mental health awareness;
• Racism and Discrimination – how to report racial incidents, and how to deal with racism;
• Education – English classes, courses and support in learning English, and
• Integration – socio-economic and cultural opportunities for new communities, rights and entitlements in Ireland.

Over 20 organizations specialized in the areas identified above were present at the event, sharing information and answering to queries about their services.

For more information, please contact IOM Ireland:
Laurentiu Ciobanica, Tel: +35316760655, Email: lciobanica@iom.int
Eoghan Coleman, Tel: +35316760655, Email: ecoleman@iom.int