Women parliamentarians of Northern Ireland

Launch Event

 

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Speaker Alex Maskey launches the 'Women Parliamentarians of Northern Ireland' exhibition in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings.

The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Alex Maskey MLA, launched the 'Women Parliamnetarians of Northern Ireland' exhibition on Friday 4 March 2022. The exhibition highlights the role of the women who have been elected to the local political and parliamentary institutions connected to Parliament Buildings.

The exhibition, which can be viewed in the Great Hall in Parliament Buildings until Friday 18 March 2022 or viewed online, was an initiative agreed as one of the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission’s programme of centenary events.

Speaker Alex Maskey said: “I am delighted to launch this exhibition which charts the contribution of women in the political institutions connected to Parliament Buildings over the years.  When the Assembly Commission agreed its programme of centenary events last year, the contribution of women was something they were particularly keen to recognise.

“It was only in 1918, with the passing of the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act, that women were first able to run for office. In all of the local parliamentary institutions since 1921, we have seen a steady and increasing stream of highly motivated and dedicated women taking their place in leadership roles, serving as Ministers, Speaker and Committee chairs.

“Historically, we have had the lowest proportion of female representation of the devolved institutions. We are getting better—in 2022, women accounted for 37% of the 90 Assembly seats, compared to 13% elected in 1998.

The online exhibition provides an overview of all the women who have been elected since 1918 and looks in some depth at those who became Senators, Ministers, party leaders and Speakers.

Speaker Maskey concluded: “It is both appropriate and important that we look back to where we were and see how far we have come.  I think people will enjoy the exhibition and find it interesting to recall the many significant female characters who have left their mark on our politics over the years.”

The exhibition in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings will be up until Friday 18 March 2022, while the online version of the exhibition will be available indefinitely.

You can even contribute yourself by sharing any stories or photographs you have about women Parliamentarians in Northern Ireland.

Find out how you can contribute.

A selection of photos from the event can be found below...

 

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Speaker Alex Maskey with the first female Speaker of the Assembly, Eileen Bell.

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Former MLAs Bairbre de Brún and Jane Morrice join Rosemary Barton MLA at the launch of the exhibition.

 

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Speaker Alex Maskey with (from left-right) Jane Morrice, Eileen Bell, Rosemary Barton, Bairbre de Brún and Monica McWilliams, who all feature in the exhibition.

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The opening panel of the 'Women Parliamentarians of Northern ireland' exhibition.

 

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The Panels of the exhibition hanging in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings.

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The 'Diverse Voices' panel hanging in the Great Hall.

 

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