Women's Policy Group Warns Women's Rights Protections Must Not Be Weakened Under Windsor Framework

09 July 2026 - The Women's Policy Group (WPG) Northern Ireland has told a House of Lords inquiry that Article 2 of the Windsor Framework remains a crucial safeguard for women's rights and gender equality protections in Northern Ireland, and has warned that recent legal developments risk creating uncertainty around those protections.

In a submission to the House of Lords Committee Inquiry into Article 2, the WPG argues that women in Northern Ireland have a particular stake in ensuring robust rights protections post-Brexit because many of the equality protections that women rely on have their roots in European Union law. The group highlights longstanding concerns that women were underrepresented during Brexit negotiations and that women's voices continue to be overlooked in decisions affecting their rights and futures.

The WPG notes that women in Northern Ireland already face significant barriers in public and political life, alongside ongoing inequalities in employment, childcare, education, training and economic participation. The organisation argues that Brexit created additional risks to hard-won rights and that Article 2 was established to ensure these rights could not be diminished as a consequence of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union.

The submission emphasises that the Rights, Safeguards and Equality of Opportunity section of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement was secured through the efforts of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition, whose members recognised the importance of embedding equality and human rights protections within any future political settlement. The WPG argues that Article 2 is a direct continuation of that legacy and remains essential to protecting women and other marginalised groups today.

The group also raises concerns about the impact of the Dillon judgment, which it says has created uncertainty regarding when individuals can rely on Article 2 to challenge the weakening of rights protections. This lack of clarity is particularly concerning for women and equality groups seeking to defend protections against discrimination.

A key concern highlighted in the evidence is the UK's obligation to keep pace with certain developments in EU equality law. The WPG points specifically to the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which is intended to strengthen action on the gender pay gap. The organisation argues that Northern Ireland women should continue to benefit from advances in equality protections and that governments must ensure rights continue to develop rather than stagnate.

The WPG is also calling for stronger support for the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, which together form the Dedicated Mechanism responsible for monitoring and enforcing Article 2 commitments. The group warns that political attacks on these institutions risk undermining the very bodies tasked with protecting equality and human rights.

The Women's Policy Group is urging both the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to provide greater clarity on Article 2, ensure equality protections continue to evolve alongside international standards, and adequately fund the institutions responsible for safeguarding rights. Weakening or narrowing Article 2 protections would disproportionately affect women and other groups who already experience inequality, and could undermine key commitments at the heart of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.

For more information contact;

Elaine Crory
Women's Sector Lobbyist, WRDA
elaine.crory@wrda.net

-ENDS-