17th September 2021
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) was today the recipient of a prestigious Human Rights and Equality Grant, awarded by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.
The projects awarded a grant encompass a range of issues; social exclusion and socioeconomic discrimination; racism and discrimination experienced, in particular, by ethnic and minority communities; and empowering people with disabilities to advocate for their rights.
The grant will support a project which aims to empower and enable educators in the primary school sector to proactively create more inclusive, racially embracing and anti-racist schools. It will do this by building the capacity of teachers, principals and deputy principals to understand racism and race/ethnicity/cultural bullying, harassment and discrimination as well as in understanding how they can create a more inclusive racially embracing and anti-racist school. It will work with Migrant teachers to support them in securing teaching positions within the education sector.
Sinéad Gibney, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission stated today:
The Human Rights and Equality Grant Scheme is part of the Commission’s initiative to support and empower communities and organisations to tackle important rights-based issues, with those who are most affected.
People and communities who face discrimination and inequality across the country are embedded in the design and delivery of these 28 projects, ensuring that their voices are heard through innovative education, training, research and policy initiatives.
We look forward to seeing the outcomes of empowering those who face the greatest barriers to justice to understand and claim their rights, through these projects, with the shared aim of creating a much more inclusive society for all.”
Joe McKeown, President of the INTO welcomed the grant, saying:
I’m proud of the work of our members and staff in securing this grant which will support our work in creating more inclusive, anti-racist schools. INTO learning will deliver a programme of teacher professional development over the coming year in this area, as we continue to be an unapologetic advocate for equality in our schools.”