Debate contribution: International Women’s Day 2024

Debate contribution by Ms Claire Sugden on 11 March 2024.

MLA

Ms Claire Sugden

Party at the time

Independent

Date

11 March 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

International Women’s Day 2024

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4270130

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I appreciate the opportunity to take part in the debate on this cross-party motion to recognise International Women's Day. While it is a global celebration of the remarkable achievements of women throughout history and an acknowledgement of the persistent challenges that women continue to face, International Women's Day is an opportunity to voice day-to-day issues that prevent advancement in gender balance in my constituency and across Northern Ireland. Despite the progress that we have achieved, women still confront systemic barriers that obstruct their full participation in society, such as gender-based violence, unequal access to healthcare and education and limited economic opportunities because the appropriate infrastructure simply does not exist. "Inspire inclusion", this year's theme, directs us to invest in women in order to drive progress. We must make progress for gender equality but also for all aspects of society. When we invest in women, everyone benefits: individuals, families, communities and our public services. Imagine if we truly invested in childcare. As well as creating opportunities for women to participate fully in the workforce, that would yield a wide range of benefits for wider society. It would promote early childhood development, stimulate economic growth, further social equity and inclusion, support community well-being and advance gender equality. Childcare is a vital social and economic investment that will create a more prosperous and equitable society for all. I appreciate the commitment of the Executive to devise and fund a childcare strategy, but it is not happening quickly enough, and I encourage the Executive to implement interim measures to support women and their families until a full strategy can be realised. Investment in women's health is also key to progress. Often, we forget that our role as MLAs is to improve public services for everyone in Northern Ireland. Half of that "everyone" are women, yet our services, health and social care in particular, do not serve them. We need to improve in areas such as mental health, reproductive health, family planning and menopause. We also need to understand conditions such as autism and ADHD, which present differently in women and girls. Research has, typically, focused on men and boys, so symptoms in women and girls are not necessarily picked up. I expect that there are many more examples of cases where inequality in research has meant women being treated less. Specifically, we need services that recognise and support the significant changes that pregnancy makes to our bodies and minds. I became a mother last year, and I am so blessed with my beautiful Indy, but she did not come with a manual, or, if she did, she left it in there.

A lot of experiences are unexpected, societal expectations for mothers are high, and every day is a palpable worry. Yes, that is life. Babies are born every day, many women came before me, and many more will come after me, but that, surely, is why we should support mothers — their immeasurable impact on all of us. Happy Mother's Day to all the women who love and care for us, but maybe our gratitude should start with the public services that they have long needed. Finally, investing in women requires us to address the root causes of gender inequality, including harmful stereotypes and discriminatory practices. It involves challenging societal norms that limit women's potential and perpetuate gender-based violence. It is a powerful statement that our Executive, led by two very capable women, have prioritised a strategy that aims to change attitudes, value women and girls and stop abuse and violence. It is not every man, and, indeed, men who abhor this behaviour as much as I do are so important in speaking out and supporting the strategy. I appreciate the male Members of the House who have taken the lead to support this work. They must be role models for boys and younger men, and there are great examples of that already, including the white ribbon campaign, through which local football teams, including Coleraine Football Club, have worn a white ribbon to send a positive message. Investing in women is not only a moral imperative but an economic one. When we invest in the education, health and social and economic empowerment of women, we unlock significant potential to contribute meaningfully to our communities and wider society. Studies consistently show that societies with greater gender equality tend to have higher levels of prosperity and competitiveness, and I want that for my constituency in Northern Ireland. I support the motion.

745 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 09:52 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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