Amnesty International Ireland

BACKGROUND

Amnesty International Ireland is part of a global movement of more than seven million people campaigning for human rights for all. In Ireland Amnesty members and supporters campaign on issues such as reproductive rights, ending torture and protecting migrant and refugee rights. Amnesty has two youth activist officers who work with schools and third level colleges on Amnesty campaigns, which include a focus on development education and human rights.

CURRENT PROJECTS

Amnesty International Ireland is currently coordinating a project called Stories of Refuge, Stories of Welcome. Nine asylum seekers living in direct provision are employed to facilitate a series of workshops on migration and welcome in nine second-level schools in Dublin, Kerry and the West of Ireland. The workshops give students an opportunity to discuss the issues of movement, migration and borders with those who have direct experience of these realities, and to develop actions to welcome migrants living in Ireland. The project is funded by World Wise Global Schools and assisted by two consultants, who support the facilitators and help develop materials. 

Amnesty International Ireland also provides trained staff and volunteers to deliver free workshops across Ireland. All school speakers are Garda vetted. Workshops focus on the work of Amnesty international, an introduction to human rights and current campaigns, participatory human rights education activities, and ways for young people to take action for human rights.

Amnesty also produces a range of resource materials which can be downloaded from its website, including resources to help students and teachers explore the issues surrounding the use of the death penalty, one of Amnesty’s oldest and most established campaigns. Voice our concern is a human rights education project enabling senior cycle students, non-formal education centres and the wider community to learn about and discuss human rights in a creative, participatory and empowering way. Another resource pack for Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) teachers and their students focuses on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.