A Shared Future. NICVA briefing paper

A consultation on improving relations in Northern Ireland. NICVA briefing paper

1.0 Background

1.1 Following a commitment in the Programme for Government to review community relations and put in place a cross-departmental strategy by 2002, Dr Jeremy Harbison led a team which was tasked with reviewing community relations policy in Northern Ireland during 2001. Dr Harbison met with and heard from many organisations, institutions and individuals across Northern Ireland, including many from the voluntary and community sector. Despite presenting his report to the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2002, nothing emerged from the Executive in the shape of a consultation on the way forward. Finally, in January 2003, NIO Minister Des Browne launched the consultation document A Shared Futurewhich asks some fundamental questions about a shared way forward for the people of Northern Ireland.

2.0 Significance

2.1 NICVA considers this to be one of the most fundamentally important consultations to be held in Northern Ireland as it addresses an issue which affects every walk of life – communities, businesses, education, health, public spending and housing – to name but a few. It poses questions about whether people who live in Northern Ireland can share this small space or whether it is acceptable to imagine that communities can live in total isolation from each other, in some kind of ‘benign apartheid’. Aside from the questions about whether this would be right or good, there are questions about whether it would be affordable.

2.2 The document sets out a vision which states: “Our vision for Northern Ireland is of a peaceful society in which everyone can freely and fully participate, achieve their full potential, and live free from poverty. We want a fair and effective system of government, underpinned by rights that are guaranteed for all, and responsibilities that all must share.We wish to support dialogue, and to foster mutual understanding and respect for diversity."

While this is a vision that is not hard to share, the processes that might lead to its being realised will be complex and it certainly will not come about by default. It will require policy decisions, public spending and commitment to sharing rather than separation. Above all it will require political will and the ultimate success of the political process since it cannot be achieved in isolation. This makes it essential that our political representatives become involved in this debate and examine their role in the process.

3.0 What does the document say?

3.1 In some ways the document says very little. It presents a vision of a shared future which is extremely welcome and has not previously been articulated in so strong a fashion by government in Northern Ireland. However, the document is vague in places and light in actual policies and suggestions as to how things might be achieved.Despite this, NICVA strongly welcomes the fact that this document exists and that this consultation is happening, after waiting so long for the outcome of the Harbison Review.

3.2 The document sets out a policy context which includes interface violence, decreasing levels of tolerance and respect between Protestants and Catholics, segregated housing, separate schools and high levels of racial prejudice. In short, it recognises that Northern Ireland remains a deeply divided society where people’s lives continue to be shaped by community division. It also recognises that “a long-term commitment from government” is required to improve relationships, “with the associated investment of time, resources and effort.”

3.3 A Shared Future states:
“We believe in moving forward, we should aim for:

• a shared society in which people are encouraged to make choices in their lives that are not bound by historical divisions and are free to do so; and
• a pluralist society , with respect and tolerance for cultural diversity, where people are free to assert their identity."

3.4 The consultation paper recognises that, despite much valuable work having been done in the area of community relations, current policies have had little effect on levels of tolerance or broader divisions in society and therefore we need a new policy which is long term and strategic, based on a clear vision and objectives. The paper asks for views on what sort of society we should live in and comments on proposals for measures and actions.

4.0 Proposals

4.1 The document proposes that a new cross-Departmental strategy and framework be introduced to promote better relationships in Northern Ireland. It is essential that any strategy that comes out of this consultation goes beyond government and includes not only the voluntary and community sector, but other sectors of society such as business and trade unions. Government cannot tackle this issue alone and will need to include other actors within a strategic framework if real change is to be achieved and resources utilised in the most effective way.

4.2 In terms of policy aims the document asks whether government should try to promote more rapid progress towards a more integrated and shared society or whether it should acceptthat the existing pattern of segregation is likely to persist and focus efforts on stabilising and managing the worst consequences of division between and within the two main communities. As an organisation which espouses community development principles, NICVA fundamentally accepts that we are interdependent on each other, both as individuals and as communities. This leads on to accepting a shared future as the only possible option and makes rapid progress towards this the best choice.Diversity should enrich and cross-fertilise our society, not divide it, and it is essential for people to be able to make their own choices about the kind of community they want to live in or the kind of identity they wish to adopt. Simply managing community division will not allow for those choices, neither will it allow for real equality or social justice. Furthermore, we just can’t afford it. Providing separate services for separate communities is not possible within the Northern Ireland budget if we want to have better quality health, education and housing.

4.3 The consultation document proposes a set of fundamental principles which should underpin any policies, strategies or actions taken. These are:

• Acknowledgement of the problem
• Leadership
• The need for long-term, cross-government and co-ordinated action
• Widespread ownership and engagement
• The importance of local action – government must act in partnership with local communities
• Targeting – focusing on areas with high incidence of poor relations, children and young people and supporting communities who have developed good practice
• The broader perspective — recognising the North-South, East-West context.

NICVA sees these principles as a good start, but concentration on interface areas will not solve this problem. The widespread ownership and engagement, plus acknowledgement of the problem, must be emphasised as sectarianism is a problem that goes far beyond areas of social deprivation.

4.4 A range of actions is proposed at local level, regional level and within government, both direct and indirect.These include:

• Action by the Equality Commission — in terms of its role in offering advice to public bodies on good relations duties and its duty to promote good relations between persons of different racial groups.
• Local actions — a central role for local government in developing and co-ordinating action at local level; a new, enhanced replacement for the District Council Community Relations Programme, linked to Community Support Plans; and building the capacity of local communities to identify and address their own needs.
• Action at regional level — to include oversight and support of local actions, providing a challenge function to government, developing and producing good practice, funding voluntary and community organisations for community relations work, and commissioning and carrying out research. The document asks who should carry out these functions — an independent body, whether the existing Community Relations Council or something like it, or a central function within government.
• Central government — A cross-departmental group has already been established to lead on action to promote better relations, chaired at Ministerial level. This group will develop the strategic plan, support local level initiatives, monitor and review the strategy and its impacts, challenge departments, where appropriate and facilitate development of new policy initiatives. The document sets out some rather vague actions that individual departments such as Culture, Arts and Leisure, Social Development and Education might take, but this section is far from comprehensive.For example, the document states that “In implementing the Regional Transportation Strategy, the Department [for Regional Development] will contribute to the promotion of equality of opportunity, to tackling factors leading to social need and social exclusion and to promoting good relations between the communities in Northern Ireland.” How this is to be done is not indicated.

5.0 NICVA’s view

5.1 NICVA has already held one roundtable on the Shared Future document and, following the distribution of this paper, will organise further events to seek the views of members. Many in the voluntary and community sector have worked hard for years in difficult circumstances in bringing communities together and the sector’s voice must play an important part in this consultation.

5.2 NICVA’s initial impression is that the consultation is extremely welcome, though long overdue and does not give the kind of detail that would allow informed comment on policy options. The document is something of a blank slate in asking questions such as “What action do you think central government should take to improve relations?” However, the central vision articulated of a shared future is the right one and this is really the first attempt at a public consultation to talk about what kind of Northern Ireland we want to live in.The vision needs to be central to the work of all government departments and the issue of good relations should be core within departmental objectives. A proactive policy approach is needed, not another auditing requirement or box to tick — real and measurable objectives should be set for each department in areas relevant to its work. Policies should incentivise sharing. This should be coupled with a very strong statement in each Programme for Government, to build on the Growing as a Community priority, that improving relations is central to all government work and that it is not possible for any department or agency to ‘opt out’ or consider it not centrally relevant to its work. Focus needs to be on outcomes rather than outputs, real change should result, not just targets met

5.3 The interrelationship between good relations, human rights and equality must be carefully considered, as should the impact of a future Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.The themes of equality, diversity and interdependence remain highly relevant, but we must be careful to avoid the first two being pursued at the expense of the third.We must be also careful not to place communities in competition with each other, or to place community development work in opposition to community relations. The focus now should be to build on the equality gains already made through mechanisms such as Section 75.

5.4 NICVA recognises that progress on this issue may be very slow and in the short term the best to be hoped for may be that things get no worse. It is important to support existing mixed communities and to identify models of what works. It is also important to recognise that exercise of choice in a safe environment may mean that not all communities will end up mixed, but that people will be able to take decisions about their own lives that have not been based on threat or suspicion.

5.5 Any process will need to allow for risk and innovation as we don’t yet know what will work best. The voluntary and community sector can play a key role in innovating and responding flexibly to opportunities to test and explore new ways of working and new projects. Allied with this is the need for the overarching, long-term strategy proposed, as rafts of short-term initiatives will not tackle the underlying causes of problems such as sectarianism.

5.6 Strong political leadership will be the key to delivering a stable and shared future in the long term.Local politicians need to engage fully with this discussion and agree to implement a strategy which will fulfil the stated aims of the Programme for Government: “that Northern Ireland should become a peaceful, inclusive prosperous, stable and fair society, firmly founded on achievement of reconciliation, tolerance and mutual trust with the protection and vindication of human rights for all.”

6.0 Next steps and further information

The Shared Future document can be obtained from the website www.asharedfutureni.gov.ukor by calling 0800 7837210. The Harbison Review which informed the development of the consultation paper and gives some background information on current and past policies and structures can be found at www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/communityrelationsunit/index.htm

The consultation period on 'A Shared Future' officially runs until 31 July 2003 although it is very likely that this will be extended. Responses should be sent to:
Stephen Hill
Room A 5.10
Castle Buildings
Belfast BT4 3SR
stephen.hill@ofmdfmni.gov.uk

For further information on NICVA events on the consultation visit Policy and Research at NICVA's website or contact Frances McCandless on
028 9087 7777