National Women’s Council welcomes most significant strategy for women’s equality

Published: Tuesday, June 28, 2022

The National Women’s Council (NWC) today (28th June 2022) strongly welcomed the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence as the most significant strategy for women and women’s equality.

Responding to the publication of the strategy, Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council said,

“Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence go to the heart of women’s equality. 1 in 4 women and girls will experience domestic and/or sexual violence in Ireland. This strategy is a significant recognition of the harm and severe impact of male violence on women. When implemented, the strategy will go a long way to promote the much needed zero tolerance approach to violence against women.”

She continued,

“Crucially, this strategy is victim centred and all encompassing, covering every aspect of violence against women ranging from domestic abuse, to sexual violence and prostitution and sexual exploitation.

The strategy fully aligns with the Istanbul Convention, our blueprint for policies and actions on violence against women, covering all four pillars of the Convention, including prevention, protection, prosecution and infrastructure.”

Orla O’Connor said,

“NWC welcomes the significant political leadership shown on this crucial issue. We welcome that there will be one central Minister with the overall responsibility on this issue, a new Statutory Agency and the development of a new coordinated approach and structure at local level.

The Government’s detailed action plan to implement the Strategy is ambitious. It shows the cross-government commitment on this issue and enables the National Women’s Council to hold Government to account on its commitments to ending violence against women.”

She concluded,

“The Strategy and Implementation Plan were both designed with the National Women’s Council, civil society organisations and frontline services and it is critical that this collaborative approach is maintained into implementation. This will ensure that victims and survivors remain at the centre of decision making.  It is also essential that Budget 2023 delivers the resources necessary to implement that strategy and establish the infrastructure, new programmes and accommodation and refuge spaces that are so badly needed by women seeking to live free from violence.”

Ends/

For more information, please contact Silke Paasche, Head of Communications, Tel. 085 858 9104.

Notes to the Editor: