On the 29th of May Cairde provided health information at Unions Picnic organised by Siptu and Unite for workers of two meat-processing factories in Tullamore. The majority of workers come from Brazil and Poland as well as from other Eastern and Central European countries.
About 80 people attended. Those who visited Cairde’s stall were mostly interested in Medical Card scheme, women’s health and in problems related to health and safety in the work place.
Fourteen individuals from Ireland and from Northern Ireland participated in Women’s Health & Wellness programme in Boston and Detroit on the 11-21st of May.
Participants, including Emilia Marchelewska of Cairde and other health, public policy, NGO, and counselling professionals (HSE, Safe Ireland, Crisis Pregnancy Agency, Cork Alliance Centre, Pavee Point – from ROI) examined ways to promote women’s wellness and mobility in society, including encouraging continuing education, training for returning to the workforce, achieving work/life balance, financial management, domestic violence prevention, health maintenance and routine medical checkups.
The programme is sponsored by the Irish Institute at the Centre for Irish Programmes, Boston College, and the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Ethnic Minority Health Forum took place on the May, 12th, 2010. The meeting was to introduce Cairde’s work with Temple St. Hospital, update on changes and translations on Cairde’s website, inform about Medical Card application procedure, brief on EMHF Survey of Chinese, Roma community, etc.., and findings. 
During the discussion several health problems for ethnic minorities were identified.
There are number of barriers to access health services in Ireland: Lack of information of health services available, Lack of understanding of how the Irish health system works, Wariness to use services, based on shyness, embarrassment, fear of the unknown, Communication problems. There are also issues with accessing a GP found. Also participants stressed a need for exchange of information between organisations led and advocating on behalf of immigrants.
For more information contact Junyu at email hidden; JavaScript is required
Cairde runs the annual series of workshops for women’s group in the Islamic Cultural Centre Ireland in Clonskeagh in Dublin. Workshops on Health & Health Services in Ireland are run at the Centre for women only and have been greatly appreciated by all attendees in the past.
Next Ethnic Minority Health Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, 12th May 2010, 11.00am to 12.30pm in our office at 19 Belvedere Place Dublin 1. Everyone is welcome.
Agenda
11.00 – 11.10 Registration
11.10 – 11.20 Welcome & briefing on last Forum meeting (Jun Yu Wang, Cairde)
11.20 – 11.50
11: 50 – 12:20
12.20 – 12.30 AOB
12.30 — Lunch
For more information contact Jun Yu Wang: email hidden; JavaScript is required, ph.: 01 8552111.
On Wednesday 21st April, 2010 Senator Ivana Bacik will be introducing a Bill to prohibit Female Genital Mutilation in the Seanad during the Labour Party’s private members’ time.
In her response to the Labour bill, last night the Minister for Health and Children indicated that she is working on the development of a legal framework for the explicit prohibition of the practice of Female Genital Mutilation, and has indicated that the Labour bill may be read a second time in 12 months time.
Senator Bacik today welcomed the response from the Minister for Health and Children, but said she could not accept the delay of the bill for another year, saying:
“Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a practice which violates the human rights of girls and women, and causes long term physiological, sexual and psychological effects. It can cause death and has serious and permanent health implications.
“The Women’s Health Council, the HSE, and a whole range of NGOs have been involved on a Steering Group already to develop a national plan of action for Ireland to address FGM. Legislation to ban FGM was first passed in the UK in 1985.
“In the Dáil, Liz McManus TD introduced a bill to prohibit FGM in 2001, and last year Jan O’Sullivan TD also published similar legislation. We urgently need a law specifically criminalising this barbaric practice which has destroyed the lives of so many girls and women world-wide. I welcome the Minister’s commitment to address this issue, but there has already been a great deal of work done on developing a legal framework, and delaying the introduction of this legislation by another year is unacceptable.”
Cairde is on the National Plan of Action to Address Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Steering Committee
In 2010 Cairde has initiated a consultation process with ethnic minority communities to develop a strategy to inform work programme of Ethnic Minority Health Forum. 
As a part of this process, Cairde aims to:
All minority communities are welcome to join, as your participation is a significant encouragement and help in term of improve health inequalities among ethnic minority communities. If you would like to join us, please contact by phone or email.
More about EMHF
Polish Cultural and Social Association will hold an open information session about Medical Card and GP Visit Card. It will be facilitated by Cairde in the Polish language. The session will be the first of monthly meetings exploring access Irish health system as well as various aspects of health and well being.
Ciarde and the Bereavement Team of Temple St. Children’s University Hospital met on the 3rd of March to discuss how to increase cultural appropriateness and accessibility of hospital’s Bereavement Services to various ethnic minorities using the service.
After consulting with the Cairde’s Ethnic Minority Health Forum members, our clients and embassies Cairde gave feedback on the present hospital’s booklet on grief and grieving. Cairde also presented on how different ethnic and national communities deal with the loss of a child. African, Chinese, Polish and Roma perspectives were discussed. Recommendations were also given.
More info: Iryna Pokhilo, email hidden; JavaScript is required
Celebrate International Women’s in Dublin North Inner City:
Local & Global Women’s Fair
On Friday 5th March 9.45am – 12.45pm in Pavee Point, North Great Charles St (off Mountjoy Square), Dublin 1
9.45 Registration, Tea, Coffee, Food
10.20 Introduction and welcome
10.55 Workshops/activities
Also: Raffle/lucky dip
12.15 Presentation of outputs from workshop including circle dance and singing
Organised by The Local Global Women’s Partnership: Dublin Multi-Cultural Resource Centre, LYCS, AKIDWA, Dublin Adult Learning Centre, Diaspora Women’s Initiative (DWI), Cairde, Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland, SAOL Project, Hill St FRC, Roma Programme and Pavee Point.
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