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Key Achievements of NICEM

Mainstreaming race into government policy and practice

1. Race Relations (NI) Order 1997, in particular a separate Traveller clause in the law, which is not the same as in the UK legislation.
2. EU Race Equality Directive 2000 in which the Executive Director of NICEM chaired the pan-European network Starting Line Group, a group of legal experts and key NGOs fighting against racism in 15 EU Member States. Starting Line Group proposal on EU Race and Religious Directive became the cornerstone of the EU Race Equality Directive and the key consultative body on the preparation, debate and negotiation of the said Directive.
3. Assist the administration to put the Patten 50-50 policing recruitment into the exemption clause in the EU Framework Directive on Employment.
4. Single Equality Bill for Northern Ireland (SEB): we organised two international conferences brings with international experience on this subject in April 2001 and October 2004. We had a number of meetings with the SEB team to reflect our views on the issues, in particular the transposition of the Race Equality Directive. We also prepared a briefing paper on SEB for our sector to provide a simple guidance for debate on this complex legislation. The briefing paper is widely used by the voluntary and community sector. Currently, the Executive Director is also a member of the government appointed Legal Expert Panel of the SEB.
5. Race Relations (amendment) N.I. Regulation 2003
6. The Promotion of Social Inclusion Working Group on Minority Ethnic People in which NICEM’s position paper on the Core Funding for the sector has been accepted and discussed in the Working Group. As a result our proposal for core funding for the sector and the establishment of internal infrastructure, now the Race Equality Unit, within OFMDFM to deliver the core funding, to ordinate with other departments and the development of the Race Equality Strategy was approved.
7. Race Equality Strategy: NICEM played a crucial role to consult the sector and in particular a mapping out exercise on the key issues on each policy department for different minority ethnic communities. We also make substantial contribution through the Race Equality Forum and our submission.
8. Race Equality Forum on various policy issues such as draft Race Equality Strategy, core funding, racial attacks and community cohesion, interpretation, etc. 
9. Annual Human Rights and Equality Conference brings with international and local experiences on human rights, equality and race since 1999.
10. Key inputs on the Partnership for Equality White Paper and the amalgamation of the equality bodies into a single   Equality Commission for Northern Ireland in 1997.
11. Key inputs on the statutory duty on equality under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, in particular OFMDFM Advisory Group Review on “Consultation” of section 75 and the recent OFMDFM External Review of the Section 75.
12. Developed and published the Race Equality Audit – a Tool to promote Racial Equality in Northern Ireland in 2000. With financial support from Equality Commission, we commissioned the external consultant Focus Consultancy to produce the Performance Indicator of the Race Equality Audit in 2001.
13. Publish Equality Duty Resource Pack for the sector and it becomes the most popular pack for various departments, voluntary and community sector.
14. Develop section 75 training for the sector and a set of six leaflets to empower the sector on their say on section 75 process. We also published the “Principles of Consultation for Black and Minority Ethnic Sector” in 2000.
15. Develop consultation meeting for various government departments and agencies for the sector since 2000.
16. Key submission on the UK Race Relations (amendment) Bill 1999 and the review of the Race Relations Order 1976 in 2000. We worked closely with the CRE and the official in Home Office regarding the transfer of the experience of statutory duty on equality in Northern Ireland to UK mainland through the Amendment Bill in the context of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and the verdict of Institutional Racism within UK agencies. We played a vital role to influence the development of the racial equality duty under the Race Relations (amendment) Act 2000.
17. Chair the Bill of Rights Working Group on Language Rights of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in 2000.
18. Race and Gender: Visible Women Conference in October 2001 and its report.Develop and formation of the Joint Consultative Forum on Education with the Staff Commission for Education and Library Board. And NICEM was elected as one of the joint Chair of the Forum in 2004. 
19. Develop and formation of the Joint Consultative Forum on Education with the Staff Commission for Education and Library Board. And NICEM was elected as one of the joint Chair of the Forum in 2004.
20. Published “Delivering on Equality, Valuing Diversity: A Report examining the impact of ethnicity on health needs and relevant statutory service provision in Northern Ireland” in 2004. This important piece of research tries to mapping out the key health policies that relevant to race in both UK and Northern Ireland.

Capacity Building

1. Develop and implement a comprehensive capacity building support programmes for the sector since 1998 through the following key areas of work:
   a. Training:
   - Management Committee skills training: over 120 people
   - Accredited community development (NVQ level 2): 12 people
   - Accredited community development (NVQ level 3): 2 people
   -  Accredited community interpretation (OCN level 3): 194 people
   - Accredited trainers for community interpretation: 3 people
   - Financial management training: 53 people
   - Employment and discrimination law training: 12 people
   - PQASSO introductory session: 20 people
   - Anti-racist practice in community development: 20 people
   - Provide accredited community interpreters training for STEP in Dunganon since 2003
   b. Support and advice programme
   - IT support
   - Set up book-keeping and ledger system and on-going support for ethnic minority groups
   - Set up office-routine and management system and on-going support for ethnic minority groups
   - Cross-cultural community events
   - Administrative support and office equipments
   c. Consultancy and Advice:
   -  Assist groups for access to funding and also assist funding application. We are successfully to assist these groups to get more than £500,000 since 1998.
   -  Consultancy and advice work on charitable status and constitution drafting.
   d. Community infrastructure
   - Different levels of infrastructure between the sector and various government departments, agencies or statutory bodies have been established.
2. European Year Against Racism Northern Ireland programmes;
3. Develop and deliver accredited community interpretation programmes in Northern Ireland as our strategy to control the quality standards for all interpreters in Northern Ireland;
4. Develop and deliver Volunteering Programmes for NICEM and the sector;
5. Health Advocacy Project: one of the twenty-nine projects under the DHSS & PS Investment in Health demonstration project.
6. Develop and provide interpretation services for statutory agencies in Northern Ireland. Currently we have the contracts with PSNI and Southern Health and Social Service Board, and also provide interpreters to various hospitals across Northern Ireland.
7. Develop and deliver PQASSO for the sustainability for the sector.
8. Develop the interpreter registration and support network. Currently we have more than 200 interpreters registered under NICEM.
9. Develop the Black Trainers’ Support Network since 1999 and currently we have 12 black trainers being registered.

Public Awareness on Racism

1. Develop and deliver anti-racism training programmes in Northern Ireland. We have trained over 10,000 people in the last ten years.
2. We have trained more than 160 trainers (both black trainers and local trainers) in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the last ten years.
3. Published “Anti-racism and Equality in Action” Training Manual (both Leader’s pack and Trainee’s pack) in 2000
4. Published “Diversity and Anti-discrimination in Action” Training Manual (for both Trainers and Trainees) in 2003 and 2004. In 2005 we also published the local Trainee’s Manual.
5. EU Transnational Project on the development and implementation of anti-discrimination and diversity training measures in the areas of health and education. This is a joint project with our partner, the European Jewish Information Centre and two cities (Belfast and Berlin) in 2002-2004.
6. Diversity Matters Project: a joint project under EQUAL with Disability Action to promote the employment of the disadvantage groups in Northern Ireland through training, awareness raising and campaign in 2002-2004.
7. Produced the Diversity on Display Resource Pack and Exhibition in 1997 as part of the European Year Against Racism programme, for cultural awareness in schools, youth clubs and voluntary and community sector. More than 20,000 visited the exhibition in 1997-1998.
8. Organised the “Roots of the Future: the ethnic diversity making in Britain” Exhibition in Ulster Museum alongside the “Diversity on Display: the life and culture of ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland” with the support from the Commission for Northern Ireland and the Commission for Racial Equality (UK) from December 1997 to January 1998.
9. We deliver educational activities and programme in schools on various diversity and cultural awareness issues. We visited more than 100 schools over the last ten years.
10. NICEM organised the Tricycle Theatre present the Lawrence Inquiry in Belfast Opera House in October 2000 and parallel workshops in schools and youth centres.

Immigration, Asylum and Refugee services

1. We provide immigration advice since 1997. More than 10,000 people have been benefits from our services;
2. Provide National Asylum Support Service in Northern Ireland since 2000. We have supported more than 500 people in receiving our services.
3. Develop and deliver one-stop services for asylum seekers and refugees since 2001. Asylum seekers and refugees will no longer go to two or three agencies, like the UK situation, before receiving a wide range of services.
4. Develop and deliver refugee integration and resettlement programmes since September 2001. We have supported to more than 100 people.
5. Set up the Northern Ireland Committee for Refugees and Asylums in 2002 and provide staff support to the Committee for its activities and organisational development;
6. Develop and deliver EQUAL programme on the employability of asylum seekers in Northern Ireland through skills and qualifications assessment and individual development and training programmes. We have supported more than 200 people on various trainings and assessment.
7. On-going comments, feed-back and submission on immigration law and policy through our partners in UK and Northern Ireland.

Advocacy and Advice

1. Provide advice for victims of racial discrimination since 1997. We have supported more than 100 people through initial screening cases and referral for legal support.
2. Develop and deliver racial harassment project since 2002. We have supported more than 150 victims of racial harassment and racial attacks. We provide a comprehensive support services (both legal and non-legal, as well as referral) to the victims. 

Networking and Campaign

1. Member of Policy Appraisal for Fair Treatment (PAFT) Alliance (a rainbow coalition of minority, such as women, disabled, sexual orientation, religion, etc. in the society) since 1996 and the founding member of the Equality Coalition on statutory duty on equality since 1998.
2. Founding member of the Human Rights Consortium on the Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.
3. Set up the Platform Against Racism in 1996 with Pavee Point and Harmony, a North-South bodies to address the issues of racism in the island of Ireland.
4. Host Irish President Mary Robinson last visit in Belfast on 8th September 1997.
5. Member of the Starting Line Group and member of the Legal Expert Group since 1996.
6. Management Committee member of the UK Race European Network since 1997.
7. Member of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) since 1998 and UK co-Board Member 2001-2004.
8. Member of the NGOs Resource Group of the Council of Europe in preparation of the European process for the UN World Conference Against Racism in Durban 2001 (1998-2001).
9. Chair the opening session of the NGOs Forum of the European Conference Against Racism of the Council of Europe as the European contribution to the UN World Conference on Racism in Strasbourg in November 2000.
10. The Executive Director was appointed the Rapporteur of the Legal Protection Caucus at the NGOs Forum in the UN World Conference Against Racism in Durban in August 2001. NICEM was also the UK NGOs delegations at the Durban Conference which was financially supported by the UK government.
11. Working in partnership with the International Commission of Justice (ICJ) and the Human Rights Directorate of the Council of Europe on the draft additional Protocol on Article 14 of the ECHR since 1999. And the draft Protocol was adopted by the Council of Minister on 26 June 2000.
12. Chair of the Starting Line Group 1998-2002 and the Group was dissolved after the transposition of the Directive.
13. Set up National Working Group (1990 Trust, Runnymede Trust, CRE, Greater London Authority, Equality Commission) on the Race Equality Audit as part of NICEM strategy to translate the section 75 duty to the UK mainland in 2000.
14. RAXAN National Focal Point since 2000.
15. EU Project with the European Jewish Information Centre (CEJI) under Community Action Programme against discrimination to develop training programme on “Equality and Diversity” in three EU cities (Belfast, Berlin and Altea in Spain) in the field of education and health (2001-2004).
16. NICEM. ICTU and the North-South human rights and equality bodies jointly organised the first North-South Human Rights Conference under the theme: Protecting and Developing Human Rights on the island of Ireland in an international context in December 2000 in Dublin Castle.
17. NICEM EU Project on SOLID (Strategies on Litigation tackling Discrimination in EU Countries) since 2004. The Project aims at the achievement of effective transposition and implementation of the European Union Race Equality and Framework Directive on Employment through empowerment, capacity building and partnership, promoting equality for ethnic and racial minority groups across the European Union.