Women - from the NICVA Policy Manifesto
Posted by Feargal O'Kane on Feb 13 2007 under Women, Policy Manifesto |
2005 saw the publication of Gender Matters, the gender strategy for Northern Ireland. The development of the strategy was long awaited by the women’s sector and the sector was actively involved in its development. However the strategy produced by OFMDFM fell far short of its potential.
The overarching cause for concern was the move from a women’s strategy to a gender strategy. This was a worrying development based on the mistaken belief that the promotion of women’s rights and equality is somehow related to the denigration of the rights of men.
When tackling historical, structural and cultural inequalities against women adopting gender neutral approach will never be enough. Government must ensure that positive action measures are put in place along with an adequately resourced action plan for the strategy. The women’s sector through its provision of women only services provides a unique and effective vehicle for the empowerment of women and the development of the necessary skills to tackle inequalities and discrimination. The sector must be adequately resourced and its right to provide women only services must be protected. In many communities women are the innovators and drivers of change eg rural women are at the forefront of farm diversification schemes. This energy and commitment needs to be harnessed, strengthened and translated into all areas of public life.
Politicians and policy makers should:
- Lead the way in living up to United Nations Resolution 1325 by using existing legislation to include at least 40% of women in civic and public life. Political parties should implement the Sex Discrimination (Election candidates) Act 2002 by ensuring that women are nominated for winnable positions both within the party and at elections.
- Ensure that all women are able to participate in community education and learning. Women should have a choice of flexible opportunities including well resourced, high quality accredited and non-accredited learning provided by voluntary and community organisations.The barriers which prevent women returning to education such as the availability of affordable childcare must be removed. The Department of Employment and Learning needs to engage with voluntary and community training providers to establish how best opportunities for women in this area can be supported and expanded.
- Take decisive action to tackle economic inequality experienced by women. In particular rates of statutory maternity pay should be raised to allow parents to avail of the recent changes to parental leave entitlement, changes to legislation should be made to allow women who are not in the workforce to accrue enough contributions to entitle them to a full state pension and young women and girls should receive information on a wide range of educational/training opportunities including those occupations in which women are traditionally underrepresented.
- Ensure that the next action plan to implement the Tackling Violence at Home strategy, due in 2007 contains tangible, measurable and resourced actions. Support for the 24 hour helpline for women experiencing domestic violence should be maintained.
- Engage relevant public bodies and voluntary agencies to develop an integrated strategy to deliver services on all forms of violence against women. This includes issues such as rape, trafficking and sexual violence in the home. Further, measure the implementation against standards outlined in ‘Making the Grade’ publication from the Women’s National Commission.
- Ensure that high quality, affordable, age appropriate and accessible childcare is available to all children in Northern Ireland regardless of their age or where they live. Sections 6–12 of the Childcare Act (2006), which places a duty on Local Authorities in England to ensure that sufficient registered childcare places are available to meet the needs of their communities and a duty to provide advice and information to parents, should be extended to cover Northern Ireland in order that a Childcare Information Service is available to all parents in need of advice.
- Commit to a review of the wider women’s sector with a view to mapping and resourcing it properly.
- Ensure access to non-directive information and advice on sexual health, contraception, fertility and all other women’s health issues.
- Ensure women have access to the fi nancial resources necessary to allow them to pursue legal cases and oblige absent fathers to meet their financial responsibility to their children. Authorities in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland should work together in this area.
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