Dublin EU election candidates asked to commit to pro-women policies

Published: Friday, May 03, 2024

Women candidates in the Dublin Constituency were this morning asked to commit to feminist policies by signing up to the European Women’s Lobby feminist manifesto

This morning women candidates running for EU Election in Dublin were asked to commit to a feminist manifesto and support the rights and lives of women and girls at EU level. The Dublin candidates running for EU election, to date, are Regina Doherty (FG), Lynn Boylan (SF), Aisling Considine (Aontú), Clare Daly (Independents4Change), Sinéad Gibney (Soc Dems), and Bríd Smith (PBP-Solidarity).

In February 2024 less than 40% of MEPs were women. Ireland fares slightly worse, with currently 8 male MEPs to 5 female MEPs. This morning’s hustings, organised by the National Women’s Council (NWC) and Women For Election, is intended to provide space for women candidates to reach women and feminist voters and explain how they will work to improve the lives of women and girls. NWC’s Rachel Coyle, Head of Campaigns and Mobilisation, said:

“Women have had to overcome significant historical disadvantage in securing representation. We know that when women are elected, more progressive and feminist policy follows. Hustings like ours today give women candidates the opportunity to speak to women voters and all feminist voters to let them know what they will do to improve the lives of women and girls across the EU.”

Flor McCarthy, Women For Election, said:

"Ireland remains 103rd in the world for gender representation in politics. This year, voters will have a 1-in-5-year chance to deliver a crucial shift in our democracy towards gender parity by consciously prioritising the election of more of the women here today to the European Parliament. This would mean more representative policy decisions and create more opportunities for women to be in key leadership positions.”

During today’s event, NWC asked all candidates for election to commit to the following:

• Achieve parity democracy and women’s equal representation;
• Champion women’s economic independence and support an economic model that values care;
• Put an end to all forms of violence against women;
• Put an end to the neo-liberal and patriarchal exploitation of women’s and girls’ bodies;
• Guarantee women’s bodily autonomy;
• Include women’s voices in peace-building;
• Make women an integral part of the green transition.

Today’s event will be complemented by two more hustings, in Athlone on 13 May and Cork on 28 May. NWC and Women For Election have invited all women candidates with a political mandate (either individually or at the party level) to take part.

Ends/

For comment: Rachel Coyle and Flor McCarthy

Find here the EWL feminist manifesto: https://womenlobby.org/IMG/pdf/ewl_manifesto_-_english_3_.pdf

As gaeilge: https://www.womenlobby.org/IMG/pdf/ewl_manifesto_-_irish.pdf

For more information, please contact Sinéad Nolan, NWC Communications and Social Media Coordinator, 085 8619087 or sineadn@nwci.ie

What: Dublin Hustings & Feminist Manifesto Launch

When: 3 May, 9:30am

Where: Irish Architectural Archive, Merrion Square, Dublin 2.