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Women, Peace and Security Initiatives: Northern Ireland
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Support the Women's Coalition in the Election
Women’s Coalition (Northern Ireland)
August 2004
The Women's Coalition is a cross-community political party working for inclusion, human rights and equality in Northern Ireland. Our members are both women and men, young and older people and from Nationalist, Unionist and other backgrounds. Represented in the Northern Ireland Assembly and at Local Council level, the Women's Coalition works to implement the Belfast Agreement and address the every day concerns of women, men and children in Northern Ireland. We also try to widen participation in politics and make sure the voices of young people, older people, ethnic minorities, women and community and voluntary groups are heard. With an Assembly election on 26 November, there are many opportunities to help support the Coalition's campaign. Whether you want to help address local concerns in your area, get hands on experience of the campaign trail or just send a donation, your help will be crucial! Please click here to get involved and/or email them so that you can be part of our success.

Women’s Manifesto: Putting Women in the Picture
November, 2003
The Women’s Manifesto has been endorsed by numerous women’s organization, such as the Women’s Policy Group and Equality Commission for Northern Ireland. It shows the determination of women to work for the removal of the barriers that prevent their full and equal participation in society. Women are not represented in decision making roles or in politics. Only 14% of the Northern Ireland Assembly were women. The Assembly Elections 2003 brings the opportunity to place gender equality in the mainstream of policy making. The key gender equality areas highlighted in the Women’s Manifesto are: economic independence, the community women’s sector, women and decision-making, sexual and reproductive health, and domestic violence. For more information about the Women’s Manifesto click here.

Community Action & Peacebuilding
June, 2003
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland with the support of the Project on Justice in Times of Transition organized a two-day conference in Belfast on community action and peacebuilding. The conference brought together international guest speakers with around 100 participants from local community & voluntary groups in Northern Ireland. For more information visit The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.

Let More Women into Irish Politics!!
March 8, 2003
To mark International Women's Day the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) hosted a debate with political leaders on the under-representation of women in political life. The conference and debate took place the day after the proposed constitutional amendment tightening the restrictions on abortion was defeated in a referendum. The National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) called for legislation to deprive political parties of half their State funding if they do not maintain a 40/60 gender balance among candidates for local and general election. To read an article published by The Irish Times click here. For more information visit the National Women’s Council of Ireland.

Rural Training Initiatives for Women
Over sixty women from all parts of Northern Ireland participated in the seminar "Sharing Best Practice in Training: Rural Training Initiatives for Women" organized by the Training for Women Network. The initiative explored best practice in three key areas, such as progression routes, capacity building & pre-vocational programmes, and networking. Speakers included Lynn Webster from the Women's Opportunities Unit, University of Ulster at Jordanstown; Mary Hogg, Project Officer with Cookstown & District Women's Group, and Cherry Dickson (Training Women Network’s Board Member. For more information visit the Training for Women Network Online.

Empowering Women Conference
Over 200 men and women including employers, decision-makers, politicians, public bodies, professionals involved in training & education, community development and women's groups attended the conference focussing on Training of Women for Economic and Social Regeneration. Organized by Training Women Network and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, the conference aimed to increase awareness of the importance of gender equality; to raise awareness of the role of training in empowering women and creating empowering systems; to highlight & celebrate examples of good practice; and to sensitize policy makers and employers to the added value of training and to ways of overcoming obstacles to women's career development. For more information visit the Training for Women Network Online.

Children and Domestic Violence
March, 1991
Intending to raise awareness on children and domestic violence, the Northern Ireland Women’s Federation Aid launched “Hurting, Coping, Growing”, a training video on children and domestic violence. The video shows children, young people and adults sharing their experiences, feelings and hopes to domestic violence through poetry, art and discussion. This video provides any organization working with children and young people with a training tool to raise awareness and understanding of children and domestic. Since 1989, over 14,000 children in Northern Ireland have been accommodated in Women’s Aid refuges due to domestic violence. For more information visit the Northern Ireland Women’s Aid Federation.

Women’s Rights are Human Rights
December 10, 1998
From January to December 1998, nine women have died in Northern Ireland as a result of domestic violence. On the International Human Rights Day, Women's Aid held a candlelight vigil in Belfast in memory of women and children who have suffered and who are still suffering from violence in the home. The vigil is part of Women’s Aid’s wider campaign to raise public awareness and encourage an effective community response to domestic violence. For more information visit the Northern Ireland Women’s Aid Federation.

International