The quotas bill was debated this week in the Dáil. It seems like a good time to ask ourselves this burning question…what kind of Ireland can we look forward to when we elect more women?
If you want to see what women and men came up with on a brisk Baggot street morning, then tune in…
A new survey conducted by the National Women’s Council of Ireland shows that less than one quarter of voices in radio news and current affairs broadcasting are women.
The survey was conducted in March as part of research for the NWCI submission to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) for the draft Code on fairness and objectivity in news and current affairs.
It shows that Ireland’s current affairs programmes are everywhere dominated by male voices as presenters, expert guests, in headlines, sports and business. Speaking today Orla O’Connor, acting CEO of the Women’s Council said,
“Our airwaves are more than three-quarters male dominated, our Dáil is 85% male dominated. Women are marginalised from the most powerful bodies in the State. Broadcasters have a responsibility to change this.”
The programme with the lowest participation for women was RTÉ Radio One’s ‘News at One’. In the week of the survey there were 49 male voices and only 7 women ( 87.5/12.5% ). In one show surveyed there were 11 men and 0 women. The shows with the highest participation of women were Newstalk’s the ‘Right Hook’ sharing joint first with RTÉ’s Sunday with Marian Finucane. However, neither show managed to have even a third of women’s voices on air. Orla O’Connor commented,
“The BAI Code has a commitment to fairness, objectivity and diversity. But news and current affairs can not be considered fair or diverse if over half the population are excluded from the airwaves. The Women’s Council believes the BAI Code must include specific provisions to encourage programme producers and stations to include more women in their shows.”
“Specific selection criteria must be developed for the inclusion of contributors in both radio and television. This would include a balance between women and men participants, as well as other aspects such as geography and membership of minority groups. The media must mirror the people and society, not just itself.”
The full results of the survey, and a similar survey from 2010, are available at www.nwci.ie alongside a copy of the Women’s Council submission to the BAI.
The submission can also NWCI draft Code submission BAI final
Solidarity Books Celebrates the 101st International Women’s Day!
A large turnout is anticipated at the Solidarity Books celebration of the 101st International Women’s Day, on Thursday 8th March.
The series of events will commence from 6pm.
Some of the events taking place during the day are:
6pm Community Dinner at Solidarity Books
7.30pm Discussion with women from Vita Cortex and others on the experiences of women workers.
8.30pm Film Showing: The Women of Brukman (2009)
A powerful documentary which tells the story of the Women (and a few men) who occupied and operated the Brukman clothing factory
when the owners deserted it during the financial crisis inArgentina of 2001. The film follows the lives of several women over a life changing 5 year period as they transform their factory and working life and inspire others to do the same.
International Women’s Day Celebration at Tigh Fili, Civic Trust House
March 8th 8pm
All Welcome
Come and listen to work by women writers and read your own – Open mic with new music by Kathryn Doehner and Claudia Schwab
NWCI Event
With President Michael D Higgins, poet Paula Meehan, Musicians and Friends
Thurs March 8th
Registration tea/coffee 10.15 — 10.45am
Venue: NWCI, 4th Floor 2-3 Parnell sq. East, Dublin 1
Rsvp: anneg@nwci.ie /01- 8787248
AkiDwA conference to mark International Women’s Day
To mark International Women’s Day, AkiDwA invites you to an evening of celebrations. The theme for this year is ‘connecting young migrant women, inspiring future.’ There will be a line of activities on the day that include launch of AkiDwA new Strategic Plan 2012-2015 by Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin Maria Parodi, speakers panel, screening of a video clip featuring young migrant women in Ireland discussing their future hopes and dreams, a fashion show, and other entertainment.
Date: Thursday, 8 March 2012
Venue: Dublin City Hall, 52 Dame Street, Dublin 2
Time: 5pm – 9pm
Light refreshments will be served.
For further information, contact Amaka at amaka@akidwa.ie / 01 81485821, 086 3096859, or visit www.akidwa.ie .
Established in 2001 by a group of African women, AkiDwA is a network of migrant women living in Ireland. AkiDwA vision is a just society where there is equal opportunity and equal access to resources in all aspects of society, social, cultural, economic, civic and political. Our mission is to promote equality and justice for migrant women living in Ireland.
CLARE WOMEN’S NETWORK
Schedule for International Women’s Day 2012
Monday the 5th of March
11am – 1pm at the Clare Training Resource Centre
Fabric Art with Martina Hynan in preparation for “Join us on the Bridge Campaign”. T-shirts decorated on this morning will be worn for the Join Me on the Bridge event on International Women’s Day
7pm at the Old Ground Hotel
‘Let’s talk about Cancer’ Fiona Treacy – Cervical Smear Unit; Aileen Delaney – My Story; Gort Cancer Support Centre – information, services & alternative therapies; Mary Skerrit – Rights & entitlements
Tuesday 6th of March
8pm to 9.30pm at St. Flannan’s College, Ennis
Women’s Sporting Event with Clare Intercultural Network
Aerobics 8.00pm to 8.30pm
Women’s Futsal 8.30pm to 9.30pm
Wednesday 7th March
7.30pm at the West County Hotel, Ennis
Public event, open to all about Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues. Guest speakers will talk about the following issues; female to male, male to female gender transition; homophobia; bullying; bi-sexuality; stigma and stereotyping; personal stories. If you or anyone you know are affected by any of the above, you are very welcome to this event.
Thursday 8th March (International Women’s Day)
1pm to 2pm at Knox’s Bridge, Ennis
Now in it’s third year, the Join me on the Bridge campaign started in 2010 when women fromCongoandRwandajoined together on the bridge connecting their two countries, showing that they could build the bridges of peace and hope for the future. This action sparked a massive global movement, and last year they were joined by thousands of people on hundreds of bridges worldwide. This is open to all ages and genders so join us in solidarity with others across the globe.
7pm to 8pm Old Ground Hotel
Introductory talk about International Women’s Day
Launch of ‘Excelling Women Network’ a new intercultural group for women in Ennis
8pm Music and song
Song with Kate Njoku
Global songs with Suara Community Singing group
Dance with Armella Doyle
Wexford Women Celebrating International Womens Day
Saturday 10th March
Fusion Cafe, North Main St, 2pm – 4.30pm
Music, Song, Dance, Readings, Soap Box, Crafts and CAKE!!!!!!
ULA GALWAY
Public information meeting to mark 20th anniversary of the X Case and to highlight legislation campaign
Wednesday 7th March at 7.30pm, Kirwan Lecture Thetare, NUI Galway
The Galway branch of the united Left Alliance will hold a public meeting to mark the twentieth anniversary of the X Case and to publicise the Medical Treatment Bill 2012, which will give legislative effect to the ruling made by the Supreme Court in the case.
The public meeting will hear from three distinguished speakers, and will be chaired by local activist and ULA chairperson Dette McLoughlin.
Dr. Niamh Reilly, who is a senior lecturer at NUI Galway and a co-director of the University’s Global Women’s Studies programme will speak about the political, legal and social contexts that led to the X Case.
Midwife and activist Mary Smith has worked as a nurse with Dublin’s Well Woman Centre and as a research office with the crisis pregnancy agency and will highlight the experiences of women who have affected by the lack of legislation and clarity with regard to lifesaving abortion.
Therese Caherty is co-convenor of the Open Feminist Forum and a member of the Action on X campaign group. She will discuss the Bill and its provisions, as well as the political process that will be required to see it become law.
Cindy Sheehan
US Anti-War Activist
Two Talks in Dublin on IWD, Thursday 8th March
6pm: Liberty Hall, Eden Quay, Dublin (SIPTU)
8pm: J.S. Synge Lecture Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin (AI Society, TCD)
The death of son, Casey, who was killed during the Iraq War, drew Cindy Sheehan into anti-war activism. She attracted national and international media attention in August 2005 when she camped outside President George W. Bush’s Texas ranch to protest against the war. Cindy visits Ireland March 4-18, 2012 to talk about her anti-war activities and also highlight the case of the Cuban Five incarcerated in US prisons. She will meet two of Ireland’s Nobel Peace Laureates, Mairead Maguire and John Hume, to update them on the situation of the five men who were involved in actions to bring about peace between their country, Cuba, and the US.
Info: Bernie Dwyer 0862253698, Chairperson, Free the Cuban Five Campaign Ireland
Connecting girls, inspiring futures: The Health and Social Consequences of Violence Against Women and Girls
Chester Beatty Library, Dublin – Thursday 8 March 2 – 4:30 PM
The Irish Joint Consortium on Gender Based Violence and the Irish Forum for Global Health are hosting a joint ‘Health Dialogues’ public seminar to mark International Women’s Day 2012. The issue of violence against women and girls remains a large public health challenge. Our speaker from the World Health Organisation, Dr Avni Amin, will present recent international research findings on the health and social consequences of violence against women and girls from many countries, including offering some insights about intergenerational effects. Ms Xusein from AkiDwA will then present some research and highlight policy implications on the issue of female genital mutilation (FGM), in the context of the situation for migrant women in Ireland who have undergone FGM.
To help indicate numbers please RSVP to: jcgbvmail@gmail.com by the 6th of March
More events listed here: http://www.nwci.ie/events/
Check out the main event site as well: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
Dear All,
The 50:50 Group invites you to a Public Meeting on Women in Politics.
Invite and details of speakers attached. Please feel free to circulate
this invite – all are welcome to attend and contribute to the discussion.
Date: Thursday 23 February
Time: 6.30-8.30pm
Place: National Women’s Council of Ireland, 4th Floor, 2/3 Parnell Square
East, Dublin 1 (opposite Gate Theatre)
This meeting sees the beginning of Dublin 50:50’s Awareness Campaign. We
will talk you through an awareness raising presentation which you can then
take home with you to use as an aid when talking to people in your own
communities. We will also be introducing and seeking volunteers for a new
initiative in Dublin with the goal of having our voices heard in our local
councils.
Speakers include:
Fiona Buckley, UCC
Claire McGing, IRCHSS scholar in NUI Maynooth
Eilish Corcoran, Women’s Manifesto
Please kindly RSVP via the contact details below. I look forward to
seeing you there.
Kind regards,
Billie Sparks
Chair of Dublin 50:50 Group
E: billie@5050-group.com
Ph: 086 889 2047
The NWCI has recently made a submission to the Constituency Commission. It is written by Eoin Murray of the NWCI and Claire McGing of NUIM. To date it is the only submission which deals with the issue of women in politics.
In it they focus on two areas:
- Larger constituencies represent the best chance for women to get elected;
- Reducing the number of deputies will increase workloads and thus impact negatively on making politics an attractive career option for women.
NWCI Constituency Commission submission 09.Jan.12
Please share it widely. Questions should be directed toward the authors.
I was delighted to get to go to the recent Women in the Media – NOT event hosted by the NWCI in the Clarion Hotel, Dublin last Saturday. I had been feeling a bit demotivated lately on the activism front and this event last week inspired me. It was absolutely wonderful to see firstly a good sized crowd at the event, but also to have the opportunity to listen to wonderful women. I was gutted to have to leave early just as we were getting into a very rich Q&A session. I know that the event was recorded so I would recommend checking the NWCI website regularly to see if the videos appear. There is no way I could do any of the women justice by describing their wonderful talk, somewhat groggy on a Saturday morning, on the blog.
Some highlights I can recount though!
‘Radio Gaga: Where are all the women on Irish radio?‘ the article that inspired Margaret Ward to set up ‘The List’ and Women on Air Initiative.
Dr Barbara O Connor, DCU putting the thought out there that an increase in women in the media may not lead to better quality of representation in the media. Definitely food for thought.
Orla Barry explaining how radio producers work and how any hesitation in saying yes to an interview can mean they’ll move onto the next person. She also pointed out that if a producer is ringing you, it’s because they think you have more in depth knowledge than the general public on the subject you’re being asked to talk about. Take this as a sign of confidence, ladies!
Kellie Turtle of the Belfast Feminist Network was perhaps by favourite speaker – mainly because I identified so much with what she was saying. I would really recommend checking out Kellie’s blog – her most recent post on Ken Clarkes ‘less serious rape’ comments is not to be missed. There is a lot I can pick out from Kellie’s speech as a highlight so I’ll just recommend you watch it in full, when it comes on the website.
Jennifer O Connell, formerly editor of thejournal.ie spoke very bravely and honestly about her own difficulties being a working mum. She had some wonderful quotes in her speech which I have emailed her for. When I get them back, I’ll post them here!
Finally, someone I’ve admired for a long time, Suzy Byrne from the renowned Maman Poulet blog spoke. I really liked her pulling out the thought that we are now talking about the economy all the time, we don’t talk about our society anymore. It’s the economy not the society is the focus of discussion and that perhaps we would better served looking at it in reverse. Society not economy and I can’t help but agree.
So there you have a very small number of highlights from a wonderful event. Do make sure to check out the videos when they are up! m
