Debate contribution: International Women’s Day 2026

Debate contribution by Mrs Linda Dillon on 3 March 2026.

MLA

Mrs Linda Dillon

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

3 March 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

International Women’s Day 2026

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5434949

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I thank all the Members who contributed to the debate. I thank our male colleagues who joined us, particularly those who spoke. Gerry has just finished, and he made a very welcome contribution about the women of West Belfast. It is the same for women across this place, but he is right: women in West Belfast probably suffered the most during our conflict and continue to do so now through deprivation. Many contributors reiterated that progress on increasing women's representation, leadership and equality requires more than just words, and that is absolutely right. It requires concrete actions, resources and accountability — not just today or on International Women's Day, but every day. Many contributors mentioned the women in Iran, Gaza, across the Middle East and across the world who, particularly at this time, are, as Gerry said of the women of West Belfast, "shock absorbers" in wars that, as Emma rightly said, they did not start. They do not want those wars, but unfortunately they suffer the most as a result of them Emma talked about the need for a cultural shift and leadership. I will be a wee bit biased, because Emma is my colleague in Mid Ulster and I know her really well, but, like many other women in the Chamber, she is a shining example of a young woman who is willing to take on that leadership role. I look at people like Sian and our new female MLAs. It is really important that they are supported. They have given leadership in their communities and in the Assembly. It should be acknowledged that many of the women in the Chamber have given leadership, supported by our male colleagues. Pam Cameron rightly highlighted the need to improve childcare provision and provide better healthcare. A number of Members mentioned that. Women's healthcare, including endometriosis care, has been neglected, but for good reason: there were not enough women in leadership positions. Health was an entire area in which all research was done by men for men. That was the reality. Even research on menopause treatments was done by men on men, which is absolutely unbelievable. I noticed that the Health Minister made his way down here to support his female colleague when she was speaking, and that is really important. I hope that our Health Minister listens to the issues that have been raised in this debate to mark International Women's Day. Paula mentioned the need for resource to tackle violence against women and girls. She said that we need to dismantle the structural barriers and that, whilst we have to celebrate, we also have to reflect. That reflection must include thinking about ending violence against women and girls. We talk about it a lot, and it is at the forefront of everybody's minds.

It concerns me that every time that we talk about it, I feel that we are going backwards instead of forwards, and that is really concerning. It is an issue that people have a focus on, and while they have a focus on it, let us move it forward, but we need the cultural change that Emma spoke about right across our community. That change and that leadership need to start in the Chamber. How we talk about women and how we talk to women is where we will make the real change.

Diana, you acknowledged that you are the sole female UUP MLA, but, in fairness, you acknowledged that you get support from women across the Chamber and from your male colleagues. That is only right. We, as a caucus, aim to work collectively to create change to use our voices to empower one another and encourage other women to step forward into political life. Sometimes, that is difficult because you are trying to convince women to do something, but if you were to get the opportunity again, you wonder whether you would put yourself forward. However, I will say this: it is a difficult job; you need support from the people around you. That means us supporting other women coming into the Chamber, regardless of whether they are Members of our party or whether we agree with them politically. We have a role to make sure that they feel supported to be in the Chamber, in other Chambers and in positions of leadership right across our community. That includes the public sector and not just elected representatives, but members of boards and right across our public sector. At our recent conference, 'Supporting Women in Public Life, we had the opportunity to engage with female leaders across the voluntary, public and private sectors. It is really important that we have that joined-up approach because we need to see women in every possible sector of life right across our communities. I am going to be cut off by the Principal Deputy Speaker, but I thank everybody who contributed today. It is important that we speak today in the lead up to International Women's Day and that we support each other every day as women.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:02 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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