UN HRC/ICCPR Submissions

The United Nations Human Rights Committee is a body of experts that monitors compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). In 2014 JFMR submitted a follow-up report to the Human Rights Committee.

In its concluding observations, the Committee expressed concern ‘at the lack of prompt, independent, thorough and effective investigations into all allegations of abuse, mistreatment or neglect of women and children in the Magdalene Laundries, children’s institutions, and mother and baby homes‘. And it highlighted the State’s ‘failure to identify all perpetrators of the violations that occurred, the low number of prosecutions, and the failure to provide full and effective remedies to victims‘. The Committee recommended that Ireland ‘should conduct prompt, independent and thorough investigation into all allegations of abuse in Magdalene Laundries, children’s institutions and mother and baby homes, prosecute and punish the perpetrators with penalties commensurate with the gravity of the offence, and ensure that all victims obtain an effective remedy, including appropriate compensation, restitution, rehabilitation and measures of satisfaction.