The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission yesterday expressed concern over a lack of anti-racism legislation in Northern Ireland in a letter to a United Nations committee.
The commission told the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that Northern Ireland's antiracist laws compared poorly with equivalent regulations in Britain. Chief Commissioner Prof Brice Dickson said legislation in the North should mirror that on the statute books in England and Wales.
"The criminal justice system, the housing agencies and the education authorities are all better equipped in Great Britain to monitor and to combat racism than their counterparts would be in Northern Ireland."
The commission made its presentation as the UN committee met to discuss Britain's record in combating racism.