Mary McAleese chairs Women’s Assembly on future of the island of Ireland
Published: Tuesday, November 05, 2024
50 women thought leaders from across the island of Ireland gathered in Dublin today (Tuesday, 5th November 2024) to explore and elevate women’s perspectives on the future of the island of Ireland through a feminist lens.
The gathering was the first of a two day ‘Women’s Assembly’ chaired by former President Mary McAleese as part of the National Women’s Council ‘A Feminist Shared Future’ initiative, supported by the St Stephen’s Green Trust.
The 50 women thought leaders were selected to reflect diverse backgrounds, perspectives and sectors from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
At today’s Women’s Assembly meeting participants focused on exploring and building a shared understanding of women’s lives today in a post conflict, divided society. The second gathering on 11th February 2025 will focus on creating a visionary framework for a better future for all women on the island of Ireland and identifying the necessary steps to achieve this vision.
The Women’s Assembly does not seek to arrive at a single position on the constitutional future of the island. Instead it aims to nurture thoughtful dialogue, active sharing and listening and mutual respect with the aim of embedding women’s voices, hopes, and concerns in future discussions and debates.
The discussions and findings from both gatherings will inform a report, set for release during International Women’s Week in March 2025, which will outline feminist values that must be included in any future conversations about our island’s future.
Orla O’Connor, Director of the NWC said,
“As an all-island organisation, we are delighted to host this transformative event, bringing together women from across society, North and South, in a spirit of learning, reconciliation, and healing. Our goal was to create a safe, inclusive space for women to share their experiences, perspectives, and aspirations on the future of the island.”
She added
“For us, the inclusion of women in the discussion on the future of the island, including the constitutional debate, is not a box-ticking exercise but an essential component for building a democratic and equitable future.”
“Today’s event highlighted a diverse range of perspectives on the future, including considerations of constitutional change. But it also brought to the fore the common challenges women share, such as additional care responsibilities, economic inequality, trauma, and regional and cross-border service access issues.”
“Women’s voices and experiences must be central to any discussions on the future. Yet too often women’s voices have been sidelined in political discourses. The Women’s Assembly is a crucial contribution to the debate on the future of the island that allows women, including those from marginalised communities, to express and discuss their views in a safe space.”
Members of the Women’s Assembly include:
Ailbhe Smyth, Feminist Activist; Alex Brennan, Women's Budget Group NI; Alexa Moore, The Rainbow Project; Amanda Ferguson, Journalist; Amanda Slevin, Queens University; Andrea Ní Fhearaíl, Irish Secondary Student Union; Andrée Murphy, Relatives for Justice; Aoife Clements, 5050NI; Catherine Cooke, FWIN; Chloe Ní Mháille, Comhar Caomhán Teo; Eileen Weir, Community Development and Peacebuilding Practitioner. ; Eilish Rooney, Academic and Community-Based Transitional Justice Educator; Eilish Walsh, Sisterhub; Ethel Buckley, SIPTU; Fiona Dukelow, UCC; Gabriela Burnett, Latina Women against Violence; Helena Power, Irish Traveller Movement; Jennie Stevens, Maynooth University; Jennifer Okeke, National Women’s Council; Joanna McMinn, Activist; Kateriona Nevin, Pavee Point; Kelsey Doyle, Belong To; Leanne Abernathy, Women in Loyalism, Louise Bayliss, Spark; Lynn Carvil, Women'sTec; Lynsey Kavanagh, Pavee Point; Margaret Coughlan, ICTU Women's Committee; Maria Elena Costa, INAR; Martina Devlin, Journalist; Martina Quinn, Alice PR; Mary Hartnett, Sisterhub; Mary McAleese, Former President; Mary McAuliffe, UCD; Mary McGuiggan, Community Activist, Educator, and Environmental Advocate , Maureen Bassett, Feminist Activist and Equality and Social Justice champion ; Naomi Green, North West Migrants Forum; Nikki Gallagher, IBEC; Nora Stapleton, Sport Ireland; Nuala Toman, Disability Federation NI; Rachel Morrogh, DRCC; Roseann Kelly MBE, Women in Business NI; Rvr Karen Sethuraman, Baptist Minister and Advocate for Peace and Inclusion; Roisin Markham, Innovative Strategic Designer for Societal Transformation. ; Sarah Benson, Women's Aid; Sarah Mason, Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland; Shirley Scott, DRCC; Sian Muldowney, ICON; Sonya Lennon, Entrepreneur and advocate for gender equality; Sophie Nelson, Here NI; Susan McCrory, Falls Women's Centre; V'cenza Cirefice, Feminist Artist and Activist for Gender and Environmental Justice; Zoë O'Reilly, National Traveller Women's Forum.