Women’s Policy Group NI Submits Evidence to International Development Committee Inquiry on Women, Peace, and Security
The Women’s Policy Group Northern Ireland (WPG NI) has submitted a comprehensive evidence report to the International Development Committee Inquiry on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS). This submission highlights the urgent need for action to address systemic gender inequality, violence against women and girls (VAWG), and the impact of paramilitarism on women in Northern Ireland.
Key Findings and Recommendations:
Paramilitarism and Gender-Based Violence:
The report underscores the ongoing impact of paramilitary activity on women, including its role in intimate partner violence, stalking, and coercive control.
Women shared harrowing personal stories of abuse linked to paramilitary affiliations, highlighting barriers to reporting and the lack of adequate justice responses.
Funding and Resources:
The WPG calls for ring-fenced budgets to support domestic WPS efforts in Northern Ireland, particularly for women’s organisations that have been instrumental in peacebuilding and tackling VAWG.
The submission criticizes the limited funding allocated to Northern Ireland’s Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Framework, which is constrained by the Northern Ireland block grant.
Implementation of UNSCR 1325:
The WPG advocates for the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in Northern Ireland to ensure women’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding and political processes.
The submission highlights threats and abuse to women who have spoken publicly about the challenges that NI faces in this regard.
Education and Prevention:
The report emphasizes the need for primary prevention measures, including peace education, consent education, and emotional literacy programs in schools to challenge toxic masculinity and promote gender equality.
Call to Action: The WPG urges the UK Government to:
Invest in Northern Ireland’s women’s sector to ensure sustainable WPS efforts.
Expand the definition of security to include human security, encompassing economic, political, and personal safety.
Develop a whole-of-government approach to WPS, linking it to education, health, and community development.
Contact Information: For further information or media inquiries, please contact:
Elaine Crory, Women’s Sector Lobbyist at WRDA: elaine.crory@wrda.net
Meghan Hoyt, Policy Assistant at WRDA: meghan.hoyt@wrda.net
About the Women’s Policy Group NI: The WPG is a group of policy experts and practitioners who advocate collectively for women and girls by promoting gender equality through an intersectional feminist lens. The group works to challenge systemic injustice and discrimination affecting women and girls in Northern Ireland, informed by lived experiences and international human rights law.
ENDS