All-Island Event Calls for Action to Promote Women’s Leadership
Source: National Women's Council
Women’s voices and experiences are crucial for the functioning of our democracy. Yet, despite many women’s roles as community leaders right across the island, they remain significantly underrepresented in our political system North and South. This particularly affects women from marginalised communities, including Traveller, disabled and migrant women.
Today (Wednesday, 3rd September, 2025),at Reimagining Leadership, an event hosted by the National Women’s Council’s (NWC) All Island Women’s Forum at Queen’s University Belfast, feminist activists, political leaders, and community organisers discussed how to achieve greater representation of women in politics and explored forms of feminist leadership, including community leadership, that go beyond the traditional political system. Rather than conforming to the existing system, participants explored what a truly feminist leadership would mean that embraces feminist values, principles and approaches.
Historically, Northern Ireland has had the lowest proportion of women representatives among all UK devolved institutions—only 35.5% of seats at the national level and 31.5% of council positions are held by women.
Women’s voices and experiences are crucial for the functioning of our democracy. Yet, despite many women’s roles as community leaders right across the island, they remain significantly underrepresented in our political system North and South. This particularly affects women from marginalised communities, including Traveller, disabled and migrant women.
Today (Wednesday, 3rd September, 2025),at Reimagining Leadership, an event hosted by the National Women’s Council’s (NWC) All Island Women’s Forum at Queen’s University Belfast, feminist activists, political leaders, and community organisers discussed how to achieve greater representation of women in politics and explored forms of feminist leadership, including community leadership, that go beyond the traditional political system. Rather than conforming to the existing system, participants explored what a truly feminist leadership would mean that embraces feminist values, principles and approaches.
Historically, Northern Ireland has had the lowest proportion of women representatives among all UK devolved institutions—only 35.5% of seats at the national level and 31.5% of council positions are held by women.