Women's Parliament 2022

The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Alex Maskey MLA hosted the Women’s Parliament on Friday 4 March.  Participants called for an action plan to address the disproportionate economic and social impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on women. The event took place in the Assembly Chamber in Parliament Buildings.

The event was organised in conjunction with The Women’s Policy Group NI with representatives from their membership which included a range of community organisations and groups that advocate for women, champion women’s rights, and support women who live and work here. Participants debated a range of issues hilighted in the Women’s Policy Group COVID-19 Feminist Recovery Plan, including access to healthcare, employment, caring responsibilities, childcare, poverty, and violence against women and girls.

Speakers used personal stories and lived experiences to highlight the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on women, as well as the importance of creating an action plan to address the imbalance. They debated the following motion:

“That this Women’s Parliament recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate economic and social impact on women, as highlighted in the Women’s Policy Group’s COVID-19 Feminist Recovery Plan; and calls on the Minister for Communities, together with her Ministerial colleagues, to co-ordinate a response across all departments and public bodies, and to work with experts in gender policy to formulate an action plan to address this imbalance.”

The Minister for Communities, Deirdre Hargey MLA also attended and took part in the debate.

Watch the event again below: