The Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway has brought together 23 of Ireland’s leading human rights groups to adopt a common vision for human rights in Irish Foreign Policy.

The Galway Platform on Human Rights in Irish Foreign Policy sets out the basic human rights standards and practices by which Ireland should be held to account in its dealings with other countries, as well as in its activities at EU and UN levels.

Among the groups that have signed the document are Amnesty International, Pavee Point, Trócaire, University College Dublin, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.

The ‘Galway Platform’ contains 47 specific observations and proposals to government in the context of the current consultation on a review of Irish Foreign Policy being undertaken by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. These are realistic and measured recommendations intended to ensure that Ireland holds true to the human rights commitments that it has freely entered into.

Professor Michael O’Flaherty, Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway said he was delighted that “so many important human rights groups were able to come to Galway and agree on this wide-ranging road map for human rights in Irish Foreign Policy”.

“Although the Government is already getting a lot right when it comes to the promotion of human rights internationally, no one would dispute that it can do so much more. The Irish Centre for Human Rights and the other signatories are putting the Galway Platform recommendations to government so that Ireland can be an international champion of human rights to make us proud,” said Professor O’Flaherty.

Caption: Pictured at the Galway Platform on Human Rights in Irish Foreign Policy, facilitated by NUI Galway’s Irish Centre for Human Rights were L-R: Michael O’Flaherty Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway (ICHR) and Nicole Mannion (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade).