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PRESS RELEASE
Embargo: 2.00pm, 10 November
2003
Contact Una O’Kane, Equality
Commission tel. 9089 0862, mobile 07808 366033
A Women’s Manifesto: Putting
Women in the Picture
The Manifesto
challenges the incoming Assembly to place gender equality in the
mainstream of policy making.
“Women in Northern
Ireland make up a diverse group in terms of age, social class, life
experience, racial and ethnic background, sexual orientation, disability
and religious and political belief,” said Annie Campbell, Commissioner for
the Equality Commission. “This Manifesto recognises that diversity and
women will recognise the topics it contains. While women have made huge
gains, society here does not come near to being equal.”
Katrina Cooley of
ICTU pointed out that, “Women in Northern Ireland are at greater risk of
poverty at all stages of their lives. They earn 81% of men’s earning and
are more likely to be concentrated in low paid, low status jobs and work
part-time. It is therefore vital that political parties and politicians
answer these demands to ensure that women have the resources to lift
themselves out of poverty.”
“The Women’s
Manifesto has been endorsed by numerous women’s groups and organisations.
This shows the determination of women here to work for the removal of the
barriers that prevent their full and equal participation in society.”
Margaret Ward of the Women’s Policy Group added, “The reality is that
women are not represented in decision making roles or in politics – only
14% of the NI Assembly were women. More has to be done to ensure that
women are represented at all levels of public life, if they are to get
their voices heard. A new Assembly brings with it the opportunity to place
the issues highlighted in this Manifesto at the heart of Government
policy.”
Notes to the
Editor
·
The key gender
equality areas highlighted in the Women’s Manifesto are: -
o
Economic
Independence
o
The Community
Women’s Sector
o
Women and
Decision-Making
o
Sexual and
Reproductive Health
o
Domestic Violence |
