|
Traveller
Women
Their Accommodation Views
August
2001
|
 |
INTRODUCTION
About
the National Traveller Women's Forum
The
National Traveller Women's Forum (NTWF) was established in 1988.
It is a national organisation made up of an alliance of Traveller
women and Traveller organisations from throughout Ireland which
aims to:
Work
collectively to challenge the racism and sexism experienced by
Traveller women and to promote Traveller women's right to self-determination,
the attainment of human rights and equality within society.
The Objectives of the National Traveller
Women’s Forum are:
•
Training
and Capacity Building
•
Policy
· Information
•
Research
•
Networking
•
Lobbying
and Campaigning.
As part
of this work we disseminated a questionnaire entitled 'Traveller
Women and Accommodation Issues' to our member groups.
The
initial decision to undertake this preliminary piece of research
was taken in response to feedback from our member groups and discussions
which took place in our Women's Leadership Group. It is hoped
that this preliminary piece of research will support and inform
the work of the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative
Committee (NTACC), Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative
Committees (LTACCs), Traveller organisations and Travellers participating
on LTACCs.
RESEARCH
RATIONALE
Why
focus on accommodation?
In this
section we will highlight the areas of policy which informed our
decision to undertake this preliminary research and which should
inform and underpin any future work in this area.
Travellers
are not an homogenous group, different needs exist within the
Traveller community in relation to a variety of issues. Traveller
women as mothers, as carers and as those with primary responsibility
for the domestic affairs have particular concerns in relation
to accommodation. Living in poor accommodation has consequences
for Traveller women which this research seeks to highlight. The
stress of living on the roadside, being moved on, or the ordeal
of being evicted has traumatic affects on Traveller women, in
particular on their health and well-being .
In the
Task Force Report 1995, Section H : Traveller
Women the following recommendation was made:
'In
implementing each of the recommendations in this report the gender
dimension should be examined in order to ascertain how policies
and practices in each area contribute to or block access to Traveller
women.' Proposals for future initiatives in each area particularly
health…….and Traveller accommodation should be monitored in terms
of their impact on equality for women.'
This
recommendation underlines the importance of identifying the needs
of Traveller women in relation to accommodation. These needs must
be named and incorporated into the overall vision for future Traveller
accommodation provision.
Several
key developments have taken place in relation to Traveller accommodation
since the launch of the Task Force Report, 1995 including:
•
The establishment of the National
Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee.
•
The establishment of the Local
Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committees.
•
The introduction of the Housing
(Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998.
The
National Traveller Women's Forum is represented on the National
Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee. Also represented
on the committee are Pavee Point, Irish Traveller Movement, representatives
from the County and City /manager's Association, County Councils,
Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, Nominees of the
Minister and representatives from the Departments of Justice,
Equality and Law Reform and Environment & Local Government.
The
N.T.A.C.C. was established originally in 1996 and gained statutory
basis in 1999. It has a mandate to advise; the Minister in relation
to any matter concerning Traveller accommodation; in relation
to the most appropriate measures for improving at local level,
consultation with and participation of Travellers in the provision
and management of accommodation and on general matters concerning
the preparation and implementation of the Traveller accommodation
programmes.
Through
our participation on the National Traveller Accommodation Consultative
Committee and the participation of many of our members on their
respective Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committees.
the need to look at the specific accommodation requirements of
Traveller women was identified.
Current
policy context
In the
Task Force Progress Report 2000 it is recommended that:
'proposals
for future initiatives in each area particularly health…and Traveller
accommodation should be monitored in terms of their impact on
equality for Traveller women'
The
National Development Plan outlines the fact that gender mainstreaming
is now required. In the National Anti-Poverty Strategy(NAPS) Review,
disadvantaged women have been indicated as a target group, Traveller
women are a group of disadvantaged women.
International
agreements which Ireland has signed up to, also have a bearing
on this research. In 1995 at the Rio Summit Ireland agreed to
the Local Agenda 21
In the
Local Agenda 21 there is a commitment to support the participation
of women in decision-making. In the Beijing Platform for Action
(Section K, Action 252), it is stated that,
'Governments
at all levels including municipal authorities should ensure opportunities
for women…to participate in environmental decision-making at all
levels…including as…designers, spatial planners, implementers
and evaluators of environmental projects'
It is
also stated that governments should,
'Promote
the participation of local communities, particularly women in
the identification of public service needs, spatial planning and
the provision and design of infrastructure'
'Ensure that clean
water is available and accessible to all by the year 2000'.
At the European Conference
Against Racism, 13th October 2000 the following conclusion was
agreed,
'The European
Conference underlines the importance of integrating a gender perspective
in all actions and policies of empowering women belonging to targeted
groups to play an active role in the design and implementation of
policies which affect their lives'.
Several
of the recommendations and commitments mentioned refer to mainstreaming
a gender perspective which infers gender mainstreaming. What do
we mean when we refer to gender mainstreaming? The most widely
used definition of gender mainstreaming is the UN definition:
'The
process of assessing the implications for women and men of any
planned action... so that women and men benefit equally and inequality
is not perpetuated'.
In practical
terms there are several key steps to follow when gender mainstreaming
any policies targeting Travellers including;
•
Reviewing the situation of Traveller women.
•
Gathering gender dis-aggregated
information and data.
•
Developing gender inequality
policies.
•
Developing models of participatory
planning.
•
Resourcing Traveller women's
participation.
•
Setting targets.
•
Developing gender impact statements.
•
Evaluation and review.
Many
of the policies and recommendations also make references to resourcing
and supporting women's participation in planning and decision
making. There are many references to participatory planning. What
is participatory planning?
'Participatory
planning is an on-going process whereby communities are resourced,
empowered and provided with an opportunity to play an equal role
in the planning, design, implementation, management and monitoring
of policies and programmes which affect their lives'
It is
against the backdrop of these policies, the current focus on gender-mainstreaming
of all policies & practices, the developement and future implementation
of local Traveller accommodation programmes, the fact that approximately
1207 Traveller families are living on the roadside with no facilities,
and feedback from our member groups that the needs of Traveller
women need to be looked at.
QUESTIONNAIRE
ANALYSIS
We disseminated
one questionnaire each to thirty of our member groups and approximately
70% of the groups responded. The responses to the questions are
based on group discussions, therefore they are not the responses
of individual Traveller women but the responses of the group as
a whole. The purpose of the research is to generate discussion
and highlight the need for further work to support Traveller women
in identifying their particular concerns as women, regarding accommodation
provision.
Question
1: In what way does
poor accommodation affect Traveller women?
•
Poor mental, emotional and physical health due to stress caused
by lack of access to services and insanitary conditions
- 85%
• Increased child illness - 50%
• Low
morale and self-esteem - 33%
Other important concerns highlighted included;
• Difficult
pregnancies for women living in poor accommodation. · Financial
hardship and
difficulty accessing credit.
•
Lack
of facilities for the care of the elderly and people with disabilities.
Traveller
women in responding to this questionnaire have overwhelmingly
identified the link between poor accommodation and their health
problems. It is inexcusable that as many as 1207 families currently
live on the roadside without access to even the most basic conditions.
There are also many families living in substandard accommodation
where the facilities provided are too few. Traveller women live
on average twelve years less than settled women. The provision
of accommodation with Traveller women participating in decisions
being made in relation to it, is essential if the health status
of Traveller women is to be improved.
The
next most frequent response is the level of child illness when
families are not provided with proper accommodation. With poor/no
facilities and the often inappropriate location of sites ( near
or in industrial sites, beside landfills or on the side of traffic
congested roads), Traveller women are worried not only about their
own health and well-being, but are greatly concerned about the
welfare of their children. Traveller women's also identified the
fact that they develop low morale and self-esteem when they live
in poor accommodation. Life is a constant struggle which takes
its their own health and well-being, but are also greatly concerned
about the welfare of their children. Traveller women also identified
the fact that they develop low morale and self-esteem due to living
in poor conditions. This again highlights the link between poor
mental and emotional health and poor accommodation.
Several
of the groups who responded suggested that the problems which
arise during pregnancies are linked to living in poor conditions.
Here again the women have identified their health status as being
linked to their accommodation situation. Financial hardship and
difficulty accessing credit were also identified as a consequence
of living in poor conditions. The Task Force Report 1995 states
that;
'Traveller
women through the years have had primary responsibility for rearing,
often large families, except that they had to endure conditions
unheard of by most 'Settled' women.'
The
stress of these poor living conditions compounded by financial
hardship further increases the burden on Traveller women. Added
to this stress is the frustration Traveller women meet when trying
to access credit. When Traveller women are unable to access credit
this again increases the pressure already being experienced by
them.
Traveller
women also identified the impact that living in poor accommodation
has on their role of caring for the elderly and disabled. Traveller
women tend to have most responsibility for the care of the elderly
or family members with a disability, they must be encouraged to
identify what facilities they need in order to facilitate their
role as a carer, to ease both their situation and the situation
of the person for whom they are caring.
Question
2: What do you think are the four most important accommodation
issues for Traveller women and why?
•
Access to well serviced accommodation
- 95%
• Safety,
security and privacy - 42%
• Access
to local services -37%
Other important issues for Traveller women
included
• Play
areas for children
• Culturally
appropriate accommodation
• Consultation
and participation regarding the design of and location of sites
• Choice
of accommodation (standard housing, group housing, permanent sites,
transient sites etc.)
• Clean
and appropriate location and environment
• Access
to finance for caravans and insurance.
In examining
the needs of Traveller women and accommodation, our aim was to
identify priority accommodation issues for Traveller women. From
the findings it is obvious that Traveller women's foremost concern
is with having access to properly serviced accommodation. Analysis
of the questionnaire feedback outlines that well-serviced accommodation
means having access to facilities such as a clean water supply,
electricity, washing and toilet facilities and rubbish collection.
It must be emphasised that Traveller women are not happy to have
access to one tap to be used by ten families, this low standard
of provision is simply unacceptable.
Another
important accommodation requirement for Traveller women is that
of safety, security and privacy, accommodation. This response
issue has several aspects to it.
•
Traveller women want to see
sites situated in safe locations, safe both in terms of location
to roads and location to industrial development.
•
They want to feel confident
that they and their children are safe.
•
Traveller women want appropriate
accommodation to be made available in order
to
be secure
in the knowledge that they will not be moved on.
The
third most commonly referred to issue for Traveller women in relation
to accommodation is the need for accommodation to be located near
amenities and services. The services in question include; education
and health services, amenities, such as shops, launderettes, entertainment
facilities etc. There was a particular emphasis on the need to
have ease of access to education and health services particularly
to provide for the health and educational needs of their children.
Other
issues that Traveller women identified include, the desire for
culturally appropriate accommodation, this means that Traveller
women would be offered a choice of the full range of accommodation
types available and would be able to decide which accommodation
option they prefer. Traveller women would also like to be engaged
in a meaningful consultation process regarding the design and
location of sites, they do not wish to live beside rubbish dumps,
in the middle of industrial estates or on the side of motorways/traffic
congested roads.
Finally
Traveller women would like to have access to finance particularly
for the purchase of caravans. In some counties the Caravans Loans
& Grants Scheme is not operational and therefore efforts to buy
new caravans are made extremely difficult. For Traveller women
whose families are nomadic this issue is more complex. Nomadic
families who are not resident in one specific local authority
area find it absolutely impossible to access credit.
Question
3: How is this different for Traveller men?
•
Men tend not to spend as much time at home
• Men
have different roles to women and tend not to be as involved in
child-rearing
and
caring
• Traveller
men are often concerned with space for scrap, horses etc. an issue
which Traveller
women support, but they also have other priorities (such
as space
for children
to play, community facilities, etc.)
The
overriding theme of the replies to this question indicate that
the fundamental differences between Traveller women and Traveller
men in relation to Traveller accommodation, is that Traveller
women tend to be those who have most responsibility for childrearing,
care of the elderly or those with disabilities and the maintenance
of the home.
The
replies to the questionnaire seem to indicate that Traveller men
spend more time outside of the home and therefore are affected
to a different degree by the accommodation within which the family
resides. For this reason it is essential to have Traveller women
involved in a participatory planning process regarding the design
of the actual dwelling space as it is they who will spend most
time there with primary care for maintaining the home.
The
respondents also indicated that Traveller men may in some cases
be more concerned with space for scrap and horses. While Traveller
women recognise and support the need for this form of economic
activity to be facilitated in the provision of accommodation,
they too have priorities which need to be facilitated, such as
a safe space for children, childcare arrangements etc.
Question
4: In What ways do evictions affect Traveller women?
•
Emotionally
distressing - embarrassment, frustration, depression - 79%
•
Disruption
of health and education provision etc. - 47%
•
Lack
of facilities - 47%
•
Lack
of security - 31%
•
Distrust
between Travellers and the State, Travellers and the settled community
-26%
Other issues for Traveller women in relation
to evictions include:
•
Emotional
wear and tear on children
•
Violence
during evictions
•
Family
discord and instability
•
Extended
families are often forced to separate
•
Financial
hardship.
Many
Traveller women have experienced and continue to live with the
constant threat of evictions. This despite the fact that evictions
should only occur where alternative accommodation is provided
and the provision of alternative accommodation is rarely a reality
when evictions are carried out. Forced evictions impose great
hardship on Traveller women with their particular role regarding
the domestic arena and child-rearing.
The
findings from the questionnaire reflect the affects that evictions
have on the health status of Traveller women. Traveller women
on average live 12 years less than settled women. This reinforces
some of the responses to the earlier questions, highlighting the
link made by Traveller women between poor accommodation and poor
health. In this context the link between accommodation provision
and the poor health status of Traveller women cannot be ignored.
Evictions affect both the mental, emotional and physical health,
due to the stress of such violent or conflictual situations. Evictions
also mean that access to education and health services are hampered.
Continuity of education and healthcare are difficult to achieve
when people are forcibly moved on. While much effort has been
made by Traveller women to support and encourage their children
to stay in school ,outside forces such as state evictions continue
to undermine this effort.
The
lack of facilities available to Traveller women is also highlighted
as being a consequence of evictions. The reality is that many
Traveller families are evicted with no alternative accommodation
being provided. Traveller women whose role in the family unit
tends to be that of home-maker, and carer for both the children
and the elderly or family members with a disability, are particularly
disenfranchised by evictions. Evictions leave Traveller women
feeling insecure, as there is no possibility of planning long-term
with the constant threat of eviction looming. The responsibility
of caring for children and others becomes increasingly arduous
when evictions occur and one is often left living in even worse
conditions than previously, with no access to services and no
visible means of securing appropriate accommodation in sight.
Evictions also cause high levels of tensions between Travellers
and the settled community. Travellers see that they are discriminated
against, that their accommodation needs are overlooked and that
it is the concerns of settled people that are listened to. This
reinforces the experience of being victims of discrimination and
causes further ill-feeling between Travellers and settled people.
All
of the other effects of eviction that Traveller women identified
are interlinked in that they all involve one form of discord or
another. This discord may include;
•
an
absolute breakdown in trust between Travellers and the State with
the threat
of
violence occurring during evictions.
•
Discord
within the family due to the stress imposed because of evictions.
•
The
mental and emotional well-being of children being jeopardized.
•
Extended
families being forced to separate.
•
Financial
hardship ensued due to evictions.
It is
time to stop all evictions now. They have a detrimental effect
on Traveller women, emotionally, mentally, physically and financially.
Continuity of education, training and healthcare are difficult
to sustain, leading to the further isolation of Traveller women.
UN Definition
of Forced Evictions ' the permanent or temporary removal, against
their will of individuals, families and/or communities from the
homes and/or land which they occupy without the provision of and
access to appropriate forms of legal or other protection.'
Question
5: How do temporary sites affect Traveller women?
•
Makes
domestic work situation very difficult - 79%
•
Insecurity
about future accommodation provision - 58%
•
Worry
about the well-being of children particularly that of education
- 50%
•
Health
problems - 37%
Other important concerns include
•
Lack
of control over the maintenance of the site
•
Poor
relationship with the local community
•
Overcrowding
of temporary sites
•
Feeling
isolated
•
Lack
of privacy
•
Stresses
of such accommodation can cause domestic unrest.
Temporary
sites are supposed to be temporary, however the reality for many
Traveller women is that temporary sites constitute as home for
they and their family for many years. The provision of adequate
facilities is clearly a concern for Traveller women in relation
to accommodation. There needs to be an agreed position in relation
to the provision of well-serviced temporary accommodation. Many
of the temporary sites which exist presently, do not meet adequate
standards, yet are home to many Traveller women for many years.
Temporary sites also need to be that, just 'temporary'. There
must be a clear visibleprogression route for Traveller women from
serviced temporary sites to their accommodation of choice.
Again
access to education and health services are key concerns for Traveller
women in relation to temporary accommodation. The poor and insecure
nature of temporary accommodation leaves Traveller women feeling
vulnerable about their children's education and the health needs
of the family.
Other
issues for Traveller women in relation to accommodation all concern
the lack of control they have over their situation. On temporary
sites Traveller women feel they have:
•
no
control over the maintenance of the sites
•
no
power to avoid the overcrowding of sites.
This
means in many cases sites are not being well maintained or were
never
in
good condition to start with.
•
they
are left feeling isolated, disenchanted and yet simultaneously
experience a
lack
of privacy due to the consistent overcrowding of temporary sites
•
poor
relationships with the local community are virtually impossible
to overcome
•
low
standard temporary accommodation places huge stresses on family
relationships.
This
state of powerlessness is unacceptable and further supports the
need for Traveller women to be given space to examine and identify
their particular accommodation needs. Traveller in many cases
are community representatives and but they must be resourced to
highlight not only the concerns of their community and their family
but also their own concerns.
Question
6: What kind of needs do you think Traveller women who travel
regularly have in relation to accommodation and transient sites?
•
Greater
provision of serviced transient sites - 96%
•
Consultation
and participation re; design and location of sites - 42%
Other
important concerns for Traveller women who travel regularly include:
•
Having
a clear method of identifying sites with vacancies.
•
Access
to amenities.
•
Access
to credit in at least one local authority area.
•
A
flexible medical card system.
•
Comfortable
and reliable caravans.
•
Desire
to travel in family groups.
•
Space
for children to play.
•
Access
to childcare.
Nomadism
is one aspect of Traveller culture. While few families retain
their nomadic lifestyle all year round, many travel during the
summer months and for particular events within the family. Therefore
we felt that it was important to look at the needs of Traveller
women in relation to transient accommodation. Few transient sites
exist around the country and the location of such sites is often
totally inappropriate. If culturally inappropriate accommodation
is to be provided then transient sites are one key element of
this provision. Traveller women have many concerns in relation
to transient sites, but once again their key concern is that there
should be greater provision of well serviced transient accommodation.
Secondly Traveller women would like to participate in the design,
provision and location of sites.
Other
concerns of Traveller women in relation to transient accommodation
include the desire for there to be a method of enquiring ahead
to see if bays are vacant, in order to avoid any overcrowding
of sites. Ease of access to local amenities for Traveller women
using transient sites is also a concern with access to childcare
being one such concern.
Women
from nomadic Traveller families feel that it is essential for
them to have access to credit in at least one local authority
area. This is particularly important to facilitate the purchase
of good reliable caravans. Another concern would be that the present
General Medical Card System would become more flexible to facilitate
the continuity of healthcare from one health board region to another.
Some suggested that a medical card could be used in any health
board area. This would assist Traveller women in maintaining a
good level of access to health services both for themselves and
their family.
The
Department of Environment and Local Government issued a document
entitled Guidelines for Accommodating Traveller Families. Under
the guidelines the Minister emphasises the importance of consultation
with Travellers, 'Issues regarding consultation
may include the question of site selection, design features, facilities
and services, management and maintenance of sites.' If
such a consultation process was engaged in many of the issues
for Traveller women regarding transient sites could be overcome.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations
to Dept. of Environment & Local Government and the
National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee
•
Guidelines
on gender mainstreaming should be circulated to all Local
Traveller
Accommodation
Consultative Committee's, by the NTACC.
• The
NTACC should required LTACCs to report on progress with regard
to gender mainstreaming in annual reports.
• The
NTACC should establish a national initiative to support the development
of participatory planning projects for Traveller women's groups
at local level.
• The
NTACC should call for an end to evictions from local authority
land until
all accommodation targets are met.
• The
NTACC should support a rights based approach to the provision
of
Traveller accommodation.
• The
NTACC should instigate the imposition of sanctions for local authorities
- re: implementation of Traveller Accommodation Programmes.
• The
NTACC should make available resources to ensure the employment
of
Traveller accommodation community workers.
• Structured
interdepartmental co-operation is a necessity if the connected
issues of health, education and accommodation are to be addressed.
• The
NTACC should support the call by Traveller organisations for the
review
of Section 32 of the Housing (Traveller Accommodation) Act 1998.
• The
NTACC should commit to advising the Minister on alternative delivery
mechanisms
if 35% of accommodation targets are not met by the end of 2002.
• Resources
are required to support Traveller women to participate in the
relevant
accommodation
consultative committees.
Recommendations
for Local Traveller Accommodation
Consultative Committees
•
LTACCs
should develop a partnership process with local Traveller women's
groups
in their area.
•
All
LTACCs should undertake gender and equality training.
•
LTACCs
should ensure that adequate resources are in place to promote
the
participation
of Traveller women - travel, childcare etc.
•
Gender
Impact Assessments should be issued by LTACCs
re:
the implementation of Traveller accommodation programmes.
•
LTACCs
should engage with and support participatory planning initiatives
with
Traveller
women's groups at local level, while recognising the independence
of
Traveller
women's groups.
| 
.gif){kind=small}
.gif){kind=small}
.gif){kind=small}
.gif){kind=small}
.gif){kind=small}
.gif){kind=small}
