The next item of business is an all-party motion on International Women's Day 2025.

I beg to move

That this Assembly welcomes the theme of "Accelerate action" for International Women’s Day 2025; recognises that focusing on the need to accelerate action emphasises the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality; and supports increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.

The Business Committee has agreed to allow up to one hour for the debate. The proposer of the motion will have 10 minutes to propose and 10 minutes to make a winding-up speech. All other Members will have five minutes. Please open the debate on the motion.

Thank you, Deputy Speaker. It is my privilege, as the current Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Assembly Women's Caucus, to move the motion. The motion is the second of the mandate to be tabled by the caucus, which is a united, cross-party forum made up of all current women MLAs. It aims to address the under-representation of women in politics in Northern Ireland and to highlight the importance of women in public life.

The theme for International Women's Day 2025 is "Accelerate Action". It is a call to action to advance and celebrate women's equality worldwide. The theme of "Accelerate Action" has been chosen because, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, to reach full gender parity, according to data from the World Economic Forum (WEF). We want to lend our voices and use our positions as elected representatives to push for collective action and shared ownership for driving gender parity.

International Women's Day has been around for over 100 years, as many issues still impact on the advancement of women. The world now rightly expects diversity, equality and inclusion. The world notices its absence and celebrates its presence. We have come a long way as regards the representation of women in political life in Northern Ireland, but we have not come far enough. The Good Friday Agreement contained a clause that affirmed the right of women to full and equal political participation, but women remain under-represented in all spheres of political life: the Assembly, Westminster and local government. Today, our count of women MLAs has reached 40%, 28% of Northern Ireland's MPs are women and approximately 26% of councillors are women: that is not adequate representation. The political landscape must not put women at a disadvantage. Our political systems must reflect the people whom they represent.

It would be remiss of me not to welcome the fact that, for the first time, the majority — 58% — of those who sit at the table of the Executive Committee are women. It has also been recognised that the Northern Ireland Assembly has had a notable increase in female representation, which rose from 13% in 1998 to 36% in 2022. We know that women's full and meaningful political participation in public life helps to advance gender equality as a whole. However, we need to address the structural barriers. The caucus is working to address the marginalisation by focusing on what the barriers are and working to create targeted action to break them down and work towards a vision of Northern Ireland where women are equally represented in politics.

On 11 February 2025, the Women's Caucus hosted a networking event here in Parliament Buildings, to which we welcomed women local councillors from across Northern Ireland. The event allowed us to share lived experiences, which are key to understanding how to address under-representation of women in politics, how to identify what needs to be done to attract more women into politics and how to support more women in their political advancement. It is evident that support for other women and, notably, cross-party solidarity amongst women is increasing. Our Women's Caucus is an example of that, and so, united across party lines, we tabled the motion. The potential here is transformative for the Assembly and for Northern Ireland.

I truly feel uplifted when I hear the passion for making a difference to local communities, and we hear that from our female representatives. In sharing our pathways, however, it became very clear that many women face barriers on their political journey. Such barriers include the hateful abuse and negative comments on social media and other online platforms, and there is more that we can do there. Personal safety is also a very real concern. Another is work-life balance, with a focus on the challenges presented by trying to juggle caring responsibilities. A career in politics needs to be seen to be achievable for those with caring responsibilities. The lack of adequate maternity leave for elected representatives is a further barrier. Council and parliamentary structures, such as the infrastructure, culture, operations and methods of work, can be a real and perceived barrier to full participation. When this Building was designed, it was designed by a man, without his being mindful of the fact that, one day, there would be women here. We need to change that in 2025. A lack of training available to elected representatives can also lead to feelings of isolation and imposter syndrome. I am sure that every woman in the Chamber has felt imposter syndrome. Confidence is gained through experience and support, but we cannot get that experience and support if we are not here doing the job.

Last Friday, I attended the sitting of the Women's Parliament, where, again, the passion and commitment that is coming from women leaders in society was really evident here in this Chamber in Parliament Buildings. They shared their lived experiences, and they wanted to debate the issues that matter to them and to the people whom they represent in their communities. Some of the key areas highlighted were violence against women and girls, affordable childcare, unpaid work and, again, caring responsibilities. We have rehearsed many of those concerns in the Chamber over the years. Indeed, we have rehearsed them over the past number of days and weeks, but we must now see tangible change. We must use our voice to raise one another up, because we can benefit from that unity of approach.

As a caucus, we recognise that the challenges faced by women remain the same, and they include juggling work and home; the need for maternity leave and childcare; the problems of gender-based abuse and isolation; and the need for resilience and self-confidence. The political landscape must not put women at a disadvantage. Our political systems must be reflective of the people whom they represent, and we are committed to working, as far as is possible, to address the structural barriers to women's full participation in public life. We are committed to an Assembly that is accessible to women and that facilitates equality of participation. We have agreed recently to undertake a gender-sensitive audit, and we look forward to seeing that work progress throughout this year. We know that, to deliver real change, we must think beyond the caucus and work together to combine support, resources and political will.

We want to work in partnership with those wishing to support women who want to become further involved in politics, and we want to play our part in supporting and enabling women to take that leap into political life. We know that there is no shortage of potential political representatives and leaders. The Women's Parliament, just last week, was evidence of that, but we want to do what we can to nurture that potential into action and progression so that, when they get here, we ensure that they stay. As a caucus, we also want to support the women who are already elected to the Assembly. We want to make sure that women MLAs have access to ongoing learning and development opportunities. We are also very keen to learn from our counterparts in other regions of the UK and Ireland, to learn about and share how things are done elsewhere and to bring back that knowledge so that everyone can benefit from it. I urge the Assembly to support the motion, because together we can accelerate action for gender equality. I commend the motion to the House.

Agus muid ag tabhairt aghaidh ar Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan, ba mhaith liom labhairt ar chúpla ábhar a bhaineann leis na mná go ginearálta.

Fiú sa bhliain 2025, tá bearna ann idir pá na mban agus pá na bhfear. Níl sin inghlactha. Tá fáthanna difriúla leis sin: tá i bhfad níos mó ban ná fear ag obair go páirtaimseartha; bíonn ar na mná sosanna gairme a ghlacadh le clann a thógáil; agus tá níos mó ban ag tabhairt aire do dhaoine sa bhaile go ginearálta. Tá dualgas ar chomhlachtaí agus ar eagraíochtaí na bearnaí sin a dhruidim agus cothrom na Féinne a thabhairt do mhná ar fud na tire. Tá an Coiste Feidhmiúcháin ag obair air sin fosta, tríd an chuidiú le costais cúraim leanaí, mar shámpla. Is mná is mó a bhíonn sa bhaile ag tabhairt cúram do leanaí, rud a chuireann bac orthu fostaíocht agus taithí oibre a fháil agus a chuireann bac orthu dul chun cinn ina saol gairmiúil agus, sa deireadh, ardú páighe a fháil.

Tá straitéis sláinte ar leith de dhíth do na mná. Aithníonn níos mó daoine go bhfuil géarghá le straitéis sláinte na mban a dhíríonn isteach ar dhifríochtaí inscne agus ar thorthaí sláinte dearfacha do chailíní agus do mhná. Cuirim fáilte roimh an phlean gnímh ar shláinte na mban a d’fhógair an tAire Sláinte. Ach tá straitéis ar leith de dhíth a bhfuil maoiniú agus tacaíocht ag gabháil léi.

Is fadhb phráinneach ollmhór é an foréigean ar na mná in Éirinn agus níos faide i gcéin. Tá na Sé Chontae ar cheann de na háiteanna is contúirtí san Eoraip do na mná. Dár ndóigh, tá straitéis ar leith i bhfeidhm ag Oifig an Choiste Feidhmiúcháin, agus cuireadh maoiniú ar fáil do na comhairlí áitiúla le dul amach chuig grúpaí. Cuirfear cláir oideachais, céardlanna, áiseanna praiticiúla ar fáil agus níos mó arís leis an airgead sin. Caithfidh gach Roinn, gach earnáil agus gach cuid dár bpobal úinéireacht a ghlacadh ar an obair sin a chur i bhfeidhm le go mbeidh domhan ann ina bhfuil gach aon cháilín agus gach aon bhean sábháilte agus meas orthu.

Tá na mná ag tabhairt aghaidh ar na saincheisteanna a luaigh mé. Mar ionadaithe poiblí, caithfimidne bheith ag obair go dian leis na bacainní sin a bhriseadh síos agus sochaí níos cothroime a chruthú. Lá Idirnáisiúnta sona na mBan daoibh go léir. Déanaimis ceiliúradh ar an lá seo agus ar an dul chun cinn a rinneadh, ach coinnimís linn ag brú le tuilleadh athruithe a fháil.

[Translation: As we celebrate International Women’s Day, I will address a few issues that concern women generally. Even in 2025, there is a gap between men’s pay and women’s pay. That is not acceptable for various reasons: many more women than men work part-time; women have to take career breaks to raise children; and women are more likely to be looking after someone at home. Companies and organisations have an obligation to close that gap and create a level playing field for women throughout the country. The Executive are working towards that by helping with childcare costs, for example. It is mostly women who provide childcare at home, which hinders their chances of getting employment and work experience, their professional lives and, ultimately, their chances of receiving higher pay. A specific health strategy for women is needed. People increasingly recognise that there is a pressing need for a women’s health strategy that deals with gender differences and ensures positive health outcomes for girls and women. I welcome the action plan for women’s health announced by the Health Minister. However, a specific strategy is needed — one with proper funding and support. Violence against women is a huge, pressing problem in Ireland and further afield. The Six Counties is one of the most dangerous places in Europe for women. Of course, the Executive Office has a specific strategy, and funding has been made available to local councils to be distributed to groups. That money will be used to fund education programmes, workshops, useful facilities and much more. Every Department, every sector and every section of our community will have to take ownership in implementing that work to create a world in which every girl and every woman is safe and respected. Women are still addressing the issues that I have mentioned. As public representatives, we have to work hard to break down the barriers and create a more equal society. I wish you all a happy International Women’s Day. Let us celebrate this day and the progress that has been made so far, but let us keep pressing for more change.]

Today, as we gather to mark International Women's Day 2025, its theme, "Accelerate action", is not just a slogan. It is a call to urgently demand real and immediate progress towards achieving gender equality. It is recognition that, while change is happening, it is not happening fast enough.

For too long, we have spoken of gender equality as a distant goal that we aspire to achieve in the future, but the future cannot wait. Women and girls across Northern Ireland continue to face barriers in their personal and professional lives. As the motion rightly highlights, we must increase our momentum and urgently tackle those challenges. If we are serious about gender equality, we must ask this: what is holding us back? The answer is pay gaps; workplace discrimination; unequal access to leadership; the high cost of childcare; family and caring responsibilities; gender-based violence; and online abuse. All those issues remain real and pressing.

In Northern Ireland, women remain under-represented in politics and business, although there has been significant progress. The cost of childcare remains a significant barrier to career progression. Too often, women are more likely to be in lower-paid or part-time work. I know from personal experience that, without childcare support, there would be no way for me to be in this Building. Such support allowed me to continue my studies at uni and enter employment. Without it, I would definitely not be here today. We must ensure that every woman and girl has the same opportunities to study, work, lead and succeed.

International Women's Day is a time to celebrate women's achievements and highlight the incredible contributions that women make in all aspects of life, particularly in areas where they have historically been under-represented. In sport, we have seen phenomenal role models such as Rachael Blackmore, the first female jockey to win the Grand National, prove that women belong at the highest level of all competitions. Locally, Marissa Callaghan, captain of the Northern Ireland women's football team, has been an inspiration, leading her team to its first major tournament. In STEM, Northern Ireland is home to pioneering scientists and engineers such as Professor Tara Moore, a world-leading researcher. Women such as her are paving the way for more young girls to see science and innovation as a career path that they can and should pursue. We have so many women who have challenged stereotypes, broken down barriers and paved the way for future generations, and we are incredibly proud of them all.

As we mark International Women's Day, we must commit to accelerating that action, not just today but every day. We must ensure that the next generation of women and girls grows up in a world where equality is not just an aspiration but a reality. Today, we remember the incredible women — our mothers, grandmothers, sisters and friends — who work tirelessly in the home, in business, in politics, in sport and in science to shape our future for us all.

Ahead of International Women's Day on Saturday — the theme this year is "Accelerate action"— I join women around the Chamber in support of the motion. It highlights the absolute necessity of taking decisive steps to achieve gender equality and the need to address systemic barriers that exclude women from reaching their full potential. I am glad that we tabled the motion on an all-party basis and that we can come together for International Women's Day with a call to action.

Women play an absolutely vital role in our society, all whilst living in one of the most dangerous places to be a woman in western Europe. Since 2020, there have been 20 domestic homicides in Northern Ireland with a female victim. Recent research from Ulster University found that 98% of women here have experienced at least one form of gender-based violence or abuse in their lifetime. That is entirely despicable and needs to change. How can we expect women to live and thrive when they are trying so hard just to survive? The Chamber has not shied away from those challenges, and the launch of the strategic framework to end violence against women and girls in September 2024, alongside the domestic and sexual abuse prevention strategy, is very welcome progress. That said, we can all agree that there is so much more to do, and we cannot lose the momentum behind those goals. That is why tackling gender-based violence remaining a core priority of the Northern Ireland Executive in the finalised Programme for Government, published just this week, was so welcome.

The theme of this year's International Women's Day rings true. We cannot stagnate, become complacent or pause our progress when there are still so many challenges ahead. We must accelerate our action and keep going. This is not a job for women alone; it is a job for everyone across society. It is not a job for the justice system alone: whilst ensuring that justice is delivered when harm occurs is integral, every Minister, Department and elected representative has a role in preventing sexism, abuse and misogyny from even happening in the first place. Everyone in society has a responsibility and can play a role in shifting culture and leading change.

"Accelerate action" looks like supporting women and girls into leadership, decision-making, business and STEM, all areas of society where they are under-represented. It looks like transforming our healthcare system so that, no matter your gender, you can receive the healthcare that you need. It is elevating women's achievements in sports and actively bringing them into sectors that are hard to break into. It is also making sure that the environments that women are in are safe and are adaptable to them.

We need to challenge the pervasive culture of misogyny that is rife in our society. In a Secondary Students' Union report in 2022, 70·6% of pupils said that they did not believe that sexism was taken seriously enough in our schools. These are children who are trying to grow, learn and become who they want to be, but they are faced with yet another barrier to doing that. The online space is constantly growing and uncontrollable. We need to work with colleagues from other nations to ensure its regulation. All of that reinforces the responsibility on us as legislators and the need for intervention and prevention work across all sections of society.

I see trailblazers leading the way in my constituency and community of North Down, working in a personal capacity to economically empower women to live to their fullest potential. I think of North Down and Ards Women's Aid and Kilcooley Women's Centre, which support women in crisis and those who need access to multiple agencies to secure their safety. I also think of our local leaders and the women in arts venues, churches, community groups and schools who consistently show up and make spaces more inclusive every day. My party and I are dedicated to ensuring that women from all backgrounds have the support needed to succeed, and we are keen to work with as many people and parties around the Chamber as possible to ensure that that happens.

I support the 2025 International Women's Day campaign theme, "Accelerate action", and I thank the chair of the Women's Caucus and its members for tabling the motion.

Despite progress in recent years, as others mentioned, women still face significant barriers and biases, particularly in areas such as employment, caregiving responsibilities, gender norms and violence against women. In the Northern Ireland Assembly, we have seen remarkable progress in women's political participation. Today, we have a First Minister and a deputy First Minister, three Ministers and two junior Ministers who are women, but we also have 36 women MLAs, which is almost 40% of all MLAs. That is progress. In my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, four of the five MLAs are female, and it is great to see Áine here as well. However, there is still much more work to do to reach the 50:50 representation that is reflective of demographics in Northern Ireland. Indeed, I am the only female MLA in my party, which is a shame, as I know so many vibrant, successful women in our party who could make a great contribution in this place and would be welcome here.

Women's voices are important in shaping the society that we all want to live in, so the challenge for all of us here today is to lead and create the conditions to allow others to follow into leadership and decision-making roles so that women's voices are equally represented. As women, we all know that our gender still faces disparities in the workplace and in career progression. Women feel the challenge in their career when they choose to start a family, with the knock-on effect that that may have on pay and progression.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency reports that 67·9% of women are in part-time employment and that about 31% of working-age women are economically inactive, often due to caring or family commitments. It is profoundly shocking that Northern Ireland has the highest rate of economic inactivity among women in the UK, and a contributory factor to that has to be that we do not have adequate and affordable childcare provision to support women in the workplace. Also, women who have given up their career to take on caring responsibilities find that, if and when they re-enter the workplace, they will have lost skills, career progression paths and important pension contributions for their future financial security. That is grossly unfair. Deep-rooted gender norms continue to influence women's opportunities and choices. Women remain under-represented in STEM subjects, partly due to gendered expectations in education and career guidance. However, the recent provision of apprenticeships in those sectors that is aimed specifically at female intakes is a positive and constructive development.

Violence against women remains a major issue. In Northern Ireland alone, there were over 33,000 recorded domestic abuse incidents in 2023, constituting 20% of all reported crimes. Alarmingly, Northern Ireland is still one of the most dangerous places in western Europe to live as a woman, with 20 women having been killed as a result of domestic homicide since 2020. As the change-makers in this place, we must also ensure that we are working for a better and safer future for all. I hope that our contributions today will encourage even more women to step up and make their voices heard, whether that is in the political arena, the business community or civic society. When women thrive, Northern Ireland thrives.

I thank each and every one of the Members who has spoken today. Their contributions were all powerful and passionate testimonies from women who are fighting for their communities every day. It is a real demonstration of the strength and determination of women across Northern Ireland.

I thank the members of the Women's Caucus for bringing the motion to the Floor today in recognition of International Women's Day 2025. I also thank all those who are members of or are part of the all-party group on women, peace and security, which I have had the pleasure of chairing. Those members will know that the APG recently met senior officials from the Foreign Office to discuss the need to engage with women stakeholders on gender inequality and the role of paramilitarism. While the meeting was constructive, there was a feeling that change had not been quick enough, and I think that that is the feeling across the board on gender equality. We have come a huge way in the past few decades, but much work remains to be done. In that sense, I am glad that this year's theme for International Women's Day is "Accelerate action".

Data from the World Economic Forum suggests that, if we are to continue with our current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, to reach full gender parity. I do not think that the world will exist then as it does now. That is one of the big reasons why we need to "Accelerate action". In fact, we learned this week that the UK has recently been knocked back one place to 18th in the women in work index due to our sluggish pace of change on women's earnings relative to men's. That is a disgrace in 2025.

In Northern Ireland, we see at first hand how gender equality has continued to worsen due to the lack of government action. That is particularly true when it comes to, for example, our childcare crisis. Every day, parents, but particularly women, are being forced out of the workplace due to childcare fees that far outstrip their earnings. That is just one of the many ways in which women can still be disadvantaged in Northern Ireland in 2025. Those concerns have been raised by the Equality Commission, which has made a number of recommendations focused on tackling gender stereotypes in childcare. It recommended the introduction of coordinated, comprehensive and coherent measures to tackle gender-based stereotypes and attitudes from an early age, right across all areas in life. It also recommended the need for acceptance and recognition of a gender emphasis on women and men taking childcare responsibilities. Of course, those recommendations are also more widely applicable.

If we are to accelerate action towards gender equality, we must accept the role that men have in addressing the stereotypes that have divided us for too long. That should include the comprehensive reform of relationships and sexuality education in our schools, as well as leadership from the top: men in privileged positions, including colleagues in the Chamber, should seek to use their influence to echo messages of equality and lead by example among their peers. Doing so should help to trigger the transformative change towards gender equality.

The truth is that, without the role of women, Northern Ireland would not be the place that it is now. During our Troubles, women were at the forefront of calling for, and working towards, a lasting peace agreement. That was personified by our own Bríd Rodgers, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday. During the celebration, I took some time to reflect on her work. A strong campaigner for peace, Bríd played a crucial role in peace talks. In November 1999, Bríd became one of only two women to serve as a Minister in the first power-sharing Executive. Bríd, like many of her female counterparts during that period, refused to be held back by stereotypical views on gender and a woman's role in society. It is time that we followed her example and did the same. No one else is going to address the issues that we face, which is why we need to lead the charge and must accelerate action towards addressing gender equality.

Members, as this is Aoife Finnegan's first opportunity to speak as a private Member, I remind the Assembly that it is the convention that an inaugural speech be made without interruption.

Is mór an onóir liom labhairt os comhair an Tionóil inniu agus labhairt ar son an rúin thábhachtaigh seo, lena ndéantar Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan a chomóradh. Is mór an phribhléid liom é sin a dhéanamh le linn mo chéad óráide i bdíospóireacht Tionóil mar Chomhalta Tionóil don Iúr agus Ard Mhacha.

[Translation: I am honoured to address the Assembly today to speak in support of this important motion, marking International Women’s Day. It is an even greater privilege to do so as my first contribution to an Assembly debate as an MLA for Newry and Armagh.]

I acknowledge my predecessor, Conor Murphy. Conor has spent more than 40 years dedicating his life to the republican struggle, delivering real change for workers, families and communities in Newry and Armagh. I know that he will continue that great work in the Seanad, championing the cause of Irish unity.

I am a proud south Armagh woman, and I take immense pride in representing the people of my constituency. My focus will be on delivering for workers, families and communities in areas such as education, health and access to public services. Our rural border communities have been neglected by successive British Governments, with decades of Tory austerity having left places such as south Armagh behind. I will ensure that those voices are heard louder and clearer than ever before.

A key priority for me will be the delivery of the much-needed school enhancement programme for Gaelscoil Phádraig Naofa, i gCrois Mhic Lionnáin

[Translation: St. Patrick’s Primary School, Crossmaglen]

. The school has long served our community with dedication, but it now faces significant challenges due to outdated infrastructure and inadequate facilities. I will work tirelessly so that the children and staff in Crossmaglen and in schools throughout Newry and Armagh have the opportunity to thrive in fit-for-purpose, modern school accommodation that provides safe and supportive learning environments. I will also focus my efforts on ensuring that rural schools and rural communities across Newry and Armagh remain high on the agenda. Our schools are the heart of our communities, and they must receive the support that they need to provide the best possible education for our children.

That is why I am proud to stand with Sinn Féin, the party that is leading the way for real change. In the context of International Women's Day, I am particularly proud to be part of a team in which over half our MLAs are women. Those incredible women — leaders, activists and public representatives — inspire me every day to stand up against injustice and fight against the inequalities that partition has imposed on our island.

Dearcaim anois ar an rún atá os ár gcomhair.

[Translation: This brings me to the motion before us.]

Women have played a crucial role in shaping Ireland's future, our communities and our economy. In my previous role as a councillor and community activist, I saw at first hand the transformative impact of strong female representation at all levels of society. Much work is needed, however, to achieve true equality. Equality is everyone's business. While International Women's Day is about celebrating women, it is also about recognising the need for us all, men and women, to work together to break down barriers. Gender equality is not just a women's issue but a societal issue, and it requires real commitment from us all in the Chamber and beyond. As we mark International Women's Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that women's voices are heard, their rights are protected and their contributions are valued in every sector of our society.

Tá mé tiomanta bheith ag troid ar son an chomhionannais do gach duine.

[Translation: I am committed to the struggle for equality for everyone.]

I am committed to an Ireland of equals — a new Ireland based on fairness, justice and opportunity for all our people on the island.

I congratulate Aoife on her maiden speech. I remember when I made mine. It was during a Budget debate with Máirtín Ó Muilleoir. Unfortunately, his response was not as kind. I spoke during an untimed debate on legislation, so I did not have the nerves of meeting the time limit. Well done.

I had not intended to speak, but I will add some information to the debate. Many years ago, before I was elected either as a councillor or as an MLA, I spent some time with colleagues across all parties under the then Speaker, Mitchel McLaughlin, looking at barriers to politics for women. At that stage, we concluded that it was not the case that, when the electorate had the opportunity to vote for a woman, it did not take it. Many women who are put on the ballot are elected. What was happening was that there was a disparity between the parties. We spoke to all parties at that time, including mine. One of the things that came to light was that, when you ask a woman whether she is interested in standing, she is more likely to do so.

The Women's Caucus recently held an event in the Long Gallery. At the table that I was sitting at, all the women, from different parties, admitted that they had been asked by a man to step forward for a political position. They had done so and had been successful. Why were they asked by a man? If we are talking about accelerating women, we as women need to do more to encourage our sisters to come forward and do as we have done. It can be difficult to be a woman in politics and in leadership. Other Members have mentioned the difficulties with social media — the bullying, the trolling and all the nasty side of things — but the role comes with such benefits. We can make changes across Northern Ireland when we come together, and we have come together to do amazing things. Some of the work that is being done today by all of us on domestic violence is testament to that.

If we want to accelerate women and gender equality across Northern Ireland, we are missing a trick.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has not been included enough in the underpinning of all strategies and policies across Northern Irish government. If that was included, everybody would have to think, "How are we doing? What are we doing to eliminate discrimination against women?".

I sit in this place. While it is not a bad place to be a woman in, I am sick to the back teeth of somebody having difficulty with the term "Chair". They will call a woman, "Madam Chairman" and things like that. I do not get why it is so difficult. There is a wee bit of difficulty in the House.

Another thing — it is difficult, as a woman, to understand why we cannot get over this — is how we measure section 75 impacts. The equality impact assessments that are brought forward for our policies and strategies look at who we are not doing damage to, when, in fact, it would be a massive change if it was turned around and all Departments and we as elected officials were asked to say how we are making improvements in equity under section 75 and how we are ensuring that equitable productive and proactive issues are being brought forward for women, older people and people with dependants. If we want to accelerate gender equality, we have to put our shoulders to the wheel. Part of that is progressive and proactive actions to ensure that equity is as important as equality.

As someone who represents housing, I ask Members to look at domestic violence. We have victims fleeing domestic violence, but, because the name of their perpetrator is on the lease of the house, it is the victim who has to leave. Is that right? If we are going to accelerate action, protect everyone and have a gender-equal society, we need to rethink some of our policies.

I extend solidarity to all women for International Women's Day, and I commend the work of the Women's Caucus and the Chair for moving this important motion.

International Women's Day has deep socialist, feminist and radical roots that should not be forgotten. It was first celebrated in 1909 by the Socialist Party of America to mark the New York garment workers' strike — a women's strike — the year before. Of course, women played a role in Petrograd a few years later, in 1917, demanding peace and bread — such a moderate demand but so relevant today with the way the world is going — leading an anti-war movement and toppling a tsar whose family had been in power for hundreds of years. Of course, we must not forget the role of women on this island 100 years and longer ago who took up the fight for rights of land, rights in the workplace and so on. Women won freedoms in many countries, as I mentioned, before so-called capitalist countries allowed women the right to vote, equal pay, equal work, divorce, free nurseries and abortion rights.

The theme of this year's International Women's Day, as has been said, is "Accelerate action". The Executive's work on women's liberation could be described as the polar opposite. To take one example, the North is experiencing an epidemic of gender-based violence, as we have heard, with 25 women disgracefully killed since 2020. Education and prevention are obviously crucial to ending gender-based violence; that is what is required. That requires political will and investment that the Executive seem fundamentally incapable of allocating.

It is also worth thinking about what kind of change we need. Better representation of women in positions of leadership is obviously important and valuable, but, unless feminism improves the everyday lives of all women, it will be worth nothing to many women, most women, all women. Too often, conversations about sexual assault and harassment and gender-based violence gloss over the wider context. To make it easier for women to leave toxic workplaces and abusive relationships, we need transformative changes to our current economic and political systems. We need a strong welfare state. It defies belief that women still cannot get financial support to leave abusive homes or abusive relationships. We need strong trade unions with women at their heart in the majority of workplaces. We need fair pay, universal free childcare, accessible healthcare and safe, secure and affordable housing. We also need to eradicate poverty and exploitation. There is still no anti-poverty strategy, and women bear the brunt of poverty and caring responsibilities. Gender inequality will always exist under capitalism.

We should also recognise that sexism is propped up by a toxic culture of misogyny that should be called out. We need to dismantle that culture and use every opportunity to challenge deep-rooted beliefs and attitudes that characterise women as inferior. Those beliefs and attitudes are not outdated, unfortunately; nor are they ideas that died out with previous generations. They persist in a different and, in some ways, more aggressive, well-funded form. Young men are falling prey to online right-wing agitators — occasionally, we hear similar arguments in the House — who spew regressive and reactionary ideas about lots of people but especially women, saying that they belong in the home and that women's bodies are the personal property of men: Trump and Tate, to name but two.

In reality, women have been and always will be at the forefront of the biggest struggles for change in our times. In recent years, it has been women who have been leading strikes in health and education and many other sectors. Women are also leading the Palestine solidarity movement. Mothers Against Genocide is just one example of that.

It is not enough in my view and in my party's view to settle for better representation alone and for empty corporate slogans. That will not achieve women's liberation. We need to unpick the foundations of women's oppression and fight for a future without war, poverty, inequality and exploitation, just as those women did over 100 years ago.

I too welcome Aoife to the Chamber. It is great to have another woman on board. You did very well today.

It is a pleasure to contribute to the debate, to celebrate the women in and around my constituency on International Women's Day and to share some of the uplifting things that they do to take care of the people in our communities in East Derry. Every day, across my constituency, women are brave, women are bold and women help others while struggling themselves and sharing their stories online. I will mention a few of those incredible women.

I thank Selina from the White Butterfly Foundation, which is devoted to offering compassionate, personalised and professional psychological support to parents grieving the profound loss of miscarriage, baby loss and neonatal death, for sharing her own painful story and using it as a power to change the lives of others.

I thank Olivia McVeigh for being so open online about her struggles with the agony of endometriosis and for talking openly about her treatment for early menopause in her 20s and her journey with alopecia. It is so brave to tackle the stigma that often comes with those health issues. She is breaking down barriers so that other women who endure them feel seen and heard.

I thank Taylor-Rae Falconer for opening up about the difficult journey of female infertility, often a deeply personal event and issue, about which she shares so well online.

I thank Laura McNeilly for advocating harsher sentencing for paedophiles in Northern Ireland in order to keep the children in all our communities safe and for advocating changes to the law.

I thank our very own Lilian Seenoi-Barr, the current Mayor of Derry, for her advocacy and bravery after enduring horrific racist abuse online. She is just incredible.

I thank Val in Portrush, who works for Reach, which is a community support network that, to be honest, is driven by women. Reach focuses on tackling loneliness and helping the vulnerable. Its volunteers utilise every moment of their spare time to give back to the community.

I give particular thanks to a woman called Becca, who works for West Bann Development. She offers a safe, non-judgemental space for so many young girls and other young people to come and ask for help.

I thank Grainne in Feeny, who works at Destined, which is a group that does incredible work with adults with special educational needs in our rural communities, serving Feeny, Park, Dungiven and Claudy.

This year's theme is accelerating action to achieve gender equality and end bias. A huge part of that involves educating the public on female mental and physical health issues. On that note, I thank the brave women around the Chamber such as Órlaithí Flynn and Kellie Armstrong, who have shared their stories of baby loss and miscarriage. I thank our very own East Derry woman Claire Sugden, who publicly spoke so eloquently about her journey with postpartum depression. I also thank Joanne Bunting for sharing her story of having breast cancer and for being so brave to speak about that.

Every day in here, we shout and yell at one another, but I sit with quiet admiration for many of the stories that are shared in this place. They are not only educating me but educating the public. I thank those ladies for their contributions and for coming forward and sharing their personal stories about their struggles. Their bravery is noted, and I thank them for it.

I also thank Women's Aid, Nexus, Rape Crisis NI and the sexual offences legal adviser (SOLA) team, which support women who are victims and survivors of rape and sexual harassment and assault. When we talk about accelerating action, we also need to create a society that adequately supports victims. Sadly, in the North of Ireland, less than 2% of rape cases result in a conviction: that is disgraceful. No one should fear the process of seeking justice for a sexual crime. In Northern Ireland, rape counselling notes can be used against victims in court, and I feel really strongly that that must change.

I dedicate my speech to the women and girls of Palestine, who have endured such unbelievable violence, trauma and agony over the past 513 days. Those women have witnessed their loved ones die or be wrongfully imprisoned. They have been left with no food to nourish their children. Pregnant women have been left without nourishment, water or hospitals and appropriate healthcare. I think of them today and every day. I think of their potential, the barriers to fulfilling that potential and the cowardice from the current and former UK and US Governments in not adequately speaking up for and supporting them. My hope is that we can all continue in our positions to platform the struggles of women in the North and globally to ensure that, one day, we are all equal.

I call Linda Dillon to conclude the debate and make a winding-up speech on the motion. Linda, you have up to 10 minutes.

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

[Translation: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.]

As a member of the Women's Caucus, it is my privilege to wind on the debate. I thank everyone who contributed to it. We give special thanks to Aoife, who made her maiden speech in the Chamber. We will all agree, I think, that it was a very strong speech. It just shows the strength of the women in the Chamber, which is a really good place for us to be.

Aisling mentioned the need for us to have a women's health strategy. That is really important. We have heard from the Health Minister that there will be a women's health action plan. That is really appreciated, but we need to see it come forward soon. We have only to listen to Cara Hunter's contribution about all the struggles to do with women's health to know how badly the action plan is needed.

Connie Egan talked about the threat of gender-based violence. We know that the most dangerous place in western Europe for a woman is their own home in the North of Ireland, where they may experience violence at the hands of somebody who is supposed to love them. Diana Armstrong outlined the importance of women being in leadership roles and of women's voices being heard. Sinéad McLaughlin spoke about the importance of the APG on UNSCR 1325, Women, Peace and Security in raising gender equality issues. We can be in no doubt that the APG is doing a good job and that it is important that that continues. I thank Sinéad and all those on the APG for their contribution.

Aoife Finnegan spoke about being a proud south Armagh woman, and I join her in that. I am also a proud south Armagh woman who is proud now to represent women, men and everybody across Mid Ulster. Aoife is determined to raise her voice for the people of Newry and Armagh. She spoke about the transformative impact of strong female leadership and about gender equality as a societal issue.

Kellie Armstrong spoke of the need for women to ask other women to stand for election and to support each other in that. I absolutely agree with Kellie, because I have done it. I have approached women and asked them whether they would consider standing for election. Recently, two such women agreed to stand in the council elections, and they were both elected. They are outstanding women, and I am really proud. I have to say that the men around them supported them too, which is really important. A number of those who spoke in the debate referred to support from men. It is really important.

Gerry Carroll mentioned the women of Palestine, and Cara dedicated her speech to the women of Palestine. That was really poignant for us to hear, particularly today when meetings are happening in Cairo to address what will happen in Palestine in the future. Let us hope that they consider the women of Palestine.

I am not sure whether it was Cara or Sinéad who mentioned Lilian Seenoi-Barr. Lilian gave us an education at the Women's Caucus event that was held upstairs. I could not stay for the entire event, but Lilian was at the table that I sat at.

She talked to me about the advancement of women in politics in Kenya and what they have done over many, many years, long before anybody else was doing it. That was in what people consider to be a developing country. Well, let me tell you this: Kenya is well developed and ahead of all the "developed" countries in how to promote women in politics. I thank Lilian for speaking to me that day. It was an education in itself.

Cheryl Brownlee mentioned inspirational women in sport and science, and I am glad that she mentioned that jockey. I back her at every opportunity that I get because I want to see her win. It is really important to see women in those leadership roles and showing people that they can do it. We all know that they had greater challenges getting to those positions than any of their male counterparts. Again, however, in many circumstances, they did that with the support of their male colleagues and their friends.

I wanted gender quotas when I was first elected to this place, but I was told that it could not be done. I looked at other things that we could consider to urge more women into politics in this place. I wondered whether we could have proxy voting so that women could have maternity leave, but I was told, "Absolutely not"; it could not be done. It might look like self-preservation, but I was a woman in my 40s with one child, so I was pretty sure that I was not having any more. It was nothing to do with self-preservation, but I thought that it was important. If we want to encourage young women to enter politics, we need to make it possible for them to do so. When COVID hit, however, and proxy voting was required for everybody, it was possible to introduce it straight away; it was not a problem.

Thankfully, proxy voting is now available, but that is what it took for us to be able to start the journey of getting it. Obviously, now, our male colleagues will potentially get paternity leave and provision will be made for those with long-term health problems. It was really important to have proxy voting to facilitate maternity leave for women, because we have female colleagues who get pregnant — Kate Nicholl is pregnant at the moment. I cannot think of anybody else at the moment, but there may be someone whom we do not know about. It is really important. We cannot say that we want more young women in politics but do absolutely nothing to encourage them.

As a caucus, we know the power of listening, engaging and discussing. I described how hearing from Lilian Seenoi-Barr at our most recent event was an education for me. We aim to work collectively to create change and use our voices to empower one another. We were delighted to recently engage with so many other women in public life and the women's sector. We discussed how we can stand strong in our power and how we can represent and lead without having to break down unnecessary barriers. The feedback from those events will help us to pave the way for change.

We want to promote gender equality in political representation as essential and as being achievable with the correct, targeted action. I know that quotas are not for everybody, but it worked for our party. I ask Members to consider it, because, if you are looking around you and everyone around you is male, something is wrong. You have to ask what it is that you can do. That does not mean that those males are bad; we have a lot of time for them. Actually, I welcome the males who have been in the Chamber for the debate. Thank you very much for coming here and supporting your female colleagues. It is very much welcomed.

I know that I speak for all my caucus colleagues when I say that I will leave the Chamber this evening feeling uplifted and with a renewed commitment to ensure that we, as elected representatives, keep extending the ladder of participation as we strive for a truly representative political landscape. This International Women's Day is a worldwide call to acknowledge strategies, resources and activity that will have a positive impact on women's advancement, including CEDAW — Kellie Armstrong mentioned looking at CEDAW and ensuring that that is brought into much more of what we do in this place — and to support and elevate their implementation.

I call on the Assembly to "Accelerate action" by reaffirming its commitment to and support for gender equality. I like the word "accelerate" because it means to go faster. Let us go faster. Let us make this happen faster. Let us make the place that we leave a much better place for our daughters, our nieces and, hopefully, our granddaughters. I certainly do not want it to be the place that it was for our mothers and grandmothers, because it was a difficult place to be. However, I will say, and I think that this was mentioned, that we are the woman we are today because of those women. I am certainly the woman I am today because of my mother, my grandmother, their mothers and the women who fought in the most difficult times here.

I think of all the women and girls who went through the mother-and-baby homes in particular. Those women went through the most difficult times, but some of them are the strongest women in our community, so I want to mention them especially today.

Thank you, and thanks to all the Members who spoke.

Question put and agreed to.

Resolved:

That this Assembly welcomes the theme of "Accelerate action" for International Women’s Day 2025; recognises that focusing on the need to accelerate action emphasises the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality; and supports increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.

Adjourned at 6.20 pm.