Debate contribution: International Women’s Day 2025

Debate contribution by Ms Cheryl Brownlee on 4 March 2025.

MLA

Ms Cheryl Brownlee

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

4 March 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

International Women’s Day 2025

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4833589

Read the official Assembly record

Text

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.

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

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:06 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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