By Jennifer Hough
24th of May, 2011
A UN committee urged the Government to set up an independent investigation into human rights violations in the Magdalene Laundries and give redress to the women who suffered because of the institutions.
The United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) said the women should be given an apology as an acknowledgement of what happened so they could “get their dignity back”.
Members of UNCAT yesterday asked government representatives in Geneva about its intentions to investigate the Magdalene laundries abuse promptly, impartially and comprehensively, in accordance with its obligations under Articles 12 and 13 of the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The committee also requested information from the state as to how it will ensure redress and compensation for the women who suffered in the laundries, in line with its obligation under Article 14 of the convention.
Justice for Magdalenes (JFM), the survivor advocacy group, calling on the Irish Government to act immediately and initiate an independent investigation into human rights violations suffered by the women.
JFM spokeswoman, Claire McGettrick, said the state could fulfil its responsibilities by obtaining reparations from the Catholic Church for its part in the women’s abuse. She said the majority of survivors are elderly, and adversarial models of inquiry and redress would have the opposite effect of adding to their pain and sense of injustice.
Maeve O’Rourke, who presented JFM’s submission to the committee, said UNCAT, along with the Irish Human Rights Commission, had taken an extremely serious view of the abuse of women and girls in the Magdalene Laundries and the state’s responsibility for it.
“Yesterday’s comments by the committee members unequivocally recognise the rights of the women who are still alive to an investigation, an apology, redress and treatment with dignity.”
Meanwhile, a delegation from the Bethany Home survivors group will today meet Education Minister Ruairi Quinn at Leinster House
Derek Leinster, chairman of the group, said he was very grateful to the minister for agreeing to meet with them. The delegation will put its case to the minister in the hope that the Bethany Home is included in the Redress scheme, which awards compensation to victims of institutional abuse.
Last year unmarked graves of 219 Bethany children who died between 1922-49, were discovered in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin 8, by Bethany researcher Niall Meehan.
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The industriel schools and the laundrys are very closly linked. When the nuns wanted to frighten us it was with the laundrys.Thay would say i will have you locked up for life. so many young girls were really sent on to the laundrys that it wasent an empty treat.some of these women were not released and knew nothing of the outside world.what a terrable thing it is to rob a persons life. In order to make money out of them .
Women politicians urged to support Magdalene bid
By Claire O’Sullivan
FRIDAY, JUNE 03, 2011
EVERY woman TD, senator and local councillor received a letter today urging them to support the ongoing campaign to seek justice for survivors of the Magdalene laundries.
The United Nations Commission Against Torture (UNCAT) is also expected to make a ruling on the matter today after it heard the Magdalenes’ case at a session in Geneva last week.
Thousands of Irish women were sent to the laundries, some because they were pregnant outside marriage and others because they were considered uncontrollable. Some women remained there for up to 30 years, where they were treated as unpaid labour. None have ever been compensated or received an apology from the religious orders or from the state for their enforced labour .
The National Women’s Council has called on the female politicians to “ensure justice and human rights prevail” by exerting “their collective influence to bring this matter to a satisfactory conclusion”.
This is the second time the NWCI has sought support for the Magdalene survivors and its intervention last year led to at least 10 motions being passed by local councils supporting Justice for Magdalenes (JFM) efforts.
For nearly two years, JFM has been fighting a campaign seeking an apology from the state and the religious orders, a compensation scheme and open access to the women’s personal records.
It’s expected that Justice Minister Alan Shatter will make an announcement on the issue of redress in the coming days.
Last November, the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) recommended that the state establish an inquiry into abuse at the laundries.
During the UNCAT session, there was widespread criticism of the Government’s attitude to the Magdalene women.
One Department of Justice official said most women entered the laundries voluntarily and said they had never received complaints about criminal offences at the laundries.
In her response to this statement, the committee’s deputy rapporteur Myrna Kleopas stated it was the responsibility of the state to investigate abuses in the Magdalene Laundries under articles 12 and 13 of the convention and to find ways to ensure redress for survivors under article 14.
She said: “In view of the evidence that we have … I think it is the responsibility of the state party to investigate and also to find ways to ensure that these women do obtain redress within the context of article 14.”
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, June 03, 2011
Ihave often wondered who choose the nuns and priests to work in these places . what was required of them. the health dept knew that there were complaints but thay were thier employers . how come so many of them were left to continue.Why was there such cruilty in so many of them.was it done so that the fear would stay.I hope these ladies are given a bit of dignity before its too late .