Women’s Policy Group calls for overhaul of Race Relations Framework, urging shift to “racial equality” strategy

04 June 2026 – The WRDA led Women’s Policy Group (WPG) has today published its response to The Executive Office’s Draft Race Relations Framework, calling for the document to be withdrawn and replaced with a robust, intersectional strategy focused on racial equality. The WPG said the current draft fails to address the systemic nature of racism in Northern Ireland and risks allowing inequalities to deepen.

Key concerns

The WPG response, informed by a focus group of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) women, highlights several critical issues:

• Failure to address systemic racism
  The framework is criticised for presenting racism as a matter of inter-community tension, rather than acknowledging entrenched inequalities and rising racial violence.

• Lack of intersectional analysis
  The draft does not consider how racism intersects with gender, religion, disability, or other identities—despite clear evidence that inequalities are compounded across these factors.

• Weak ambition and lack of measurable outcomes
  Vague commitments such as “increasing” or “enhancing” action are not backed by clear targets, timelines, or accountability mechanisms.

• Insufficient response to rising racism and far-right activity
  The WPG highlights record levels of race-related incidents and crimes, alongside growing concern about far-right narratives and violence, which the framework does not adequately address.

• Poor engagement with lived experience
  Participants described the document as “disconnected from reality,” citing gaps in understanding the barriers faced by minoritised women in accessing public services.

Call for a new approach

The WPG is urging The Executive Office to pause and reconsider the framework entirely, and instead develop a comprehensive Racial Equality Strategy grounded in international human rights standards.

The group is calling for:

• A clear focus on ending racial inequality, not just improving “relations”

• Intersectional policy design, reflecting the lived experiences of women and marginalised groups

• Concrete actions, measurable outcomes, and timelines

• Meaningful engagement with affected communities

• Adequate funding and resourcing to ensure delivery

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