Equality Commissioner Debbie Donnelly was a keynote speaker at the launch of the Women’s Manifesto 9 March in Belfast, followed by similar events in L/Derry and the NI Rural Women’s Network in Cookstown. The Manifesto is the work of the Women’s Policy Group and the event was co-ordinated by the WRDA.

The Manifesto demands that parties commit in their own manifestos to introduce widespread reforms in the post-election Programme for Government that will address inequality in a number of key areas:
 

• to put an end to violence against women at home and in the community;
• to eradicate the gender pay gap which still exists despite the Equal Pay Act of 1970;
• to provide the accessible, affordable childcare needed to offer opportunity when austerity bites women;
• to decriminalise abortion in line with international human rights standards so that health professionals can provide care for women without threat of prosecution.