Women angry about poverty!!

Published: Monday, April 28, 2003

'Women are still at higher risk of poverty than men and it is unbelievable that the position of women in Irish society has deteriorated since 1994' stated Orla O'Connor, Policy Manager with the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI). Ms O'Connor went on to explain that 22% of women are living below the 50% poverty line (ESRI 1998). 'Women living alone and lone parents continue to be the poorest people in Irish society' continued Ms O'Connor. 'It is disgraceful that Government are increasing the barriers for women to move out of poverty by cutting programmes to assist women take up employment and education' Ms O'Connor added.

'At today's NWCI Conference Creating Change to end Women's Poverty, women from the North East met to develop strategies to campaign for an end to women's poverty' stated Ms O'Connor. A number of local community groups spoke at the event including: the Louth Travellers Primary Health Care Project, PWDI (People with Disabilities Ireland) Louth, Monaghan Moving on Project, Ait na nDaoine CDP, Louth African Women's Support Group, Dundalk Outcomers, Community Parenting Support Programme and PALS (Lone Parents Group) Southside CDP, Drogheda.

The women at the conference drew particular attention to the groups of women most at risk of poverty and experiencing multiple disadvantage and discrimination. 'Women refugees and asylum seekers should be encouraged and facilitated to contribute meaningfully to economic development' said Atinuke Achioya of the Louth African Women's Support Group. The government must remove the barriers to participating in employment and education so that women asylum seekers and refugees can be included equally in Irish society' she added.

Today's Conference was organised by the NWCI as part of its In From The Margin Project1, which is working to create change for women on poverty, anti racism and health.