NWCI welcomes appointment of Tom Arnold

Published: Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) today welcomed the appointment of Tom Arnold as Chair of the Constitutional Convention.

Speaking today NWCI Director Orla O'Connor said,

'Tom Arnold has a strong track record of supporting the world's poorest and most vulnerable people, especially women.  Now he has the opportunity to support marginalised women in Ireland.'

'In Concern Mr. Arnold sought food security for people in the developing world.  He can now work for the economic and social rights of women in Ireland to be guaranteed in the Constitution.'

The Constitutional Convention will address a range of issues which impact on women in Ireland, including: valuing unpaid care work by women and men, marriage equality and, maximising the participation of women in politics.  The Chair also has the power to bring other issues to the Convention floor.

Eóin Murray, Coordinator of the NWCI Women in Politics project said,

'The Convention must work on all aspects of Constitutional reform through the lens of equality and women's rights.'

'In particular women in Ireland do not have a right to food, to health or to a decent standard of living.  Tom Arnold can open the Convention up to a discussion on these other vital issues.'

'The Convention is a chance for us to reform our Constitution.  It is also a chance for us to have a national dialogue about values, citizenship and the kind of republic we want to live in.'

ENDS

Note for editors: the NWCI has launched a working paper on reforms to the Constitution, as part of its women in politics and decision-making project, available online 

http://bit.ly/nwci-constitution .

For further comment please contact:

Eóin Murray

085 8585209