The Women's Research and Development Agency has just circulated its Gender Focus to MLAs. It was sent out by Lynn Carvill, the Women's Sector Lobbyist, and an e-mail with the document included the following.
I wonder if Lynn's concern about the lack of women representatives in political life is in any way connected with the fact that she stood as a candidate for the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition in the Forum election in May 1996 in South Down. Not surprisingly she did not get elected. [Down Recorder 15 May 1996]I have attached for your reference the fourth issue of ‘Gender Focus’. The fourth edition addresses solely the ‘Ending Dual Mandates Local Government (Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill’ which is due to have a second reading in plenary on Monday 8th March 2010. This Bill will amend the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 to disqualify Northern Ireland MLAs from also holding the position of local Councillor. This is a good opportunity to suggest that ending dual mandates could be used to address the concern of the lack of women representatives in political life in Northern Ireland.
Goodness, Ive only recently started reading your blob, and I am bitterly disappointed by your comments today - dont think that your readers would pick up on the gender bias in your own post? whether the lady you mention was elected or not, the difficulty that most women who would like to go into politics face far outweighs the difficulties that men face. Instead of hogging jobs, perhaps the ending of dual mandates might just open the space for women to come up through the ranks. And no, im not an angry feminist before you try to put me in a box.
ReplyDeleteAs regards the WRDA you might want to refer back to a recent post Putting Irish Unity on the Agenda (2). As regards the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition, its political demise has not left its members without influence, albeit unelected influence. For example, the party leader is now the head of the Human Rights Commission.
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