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Gráinne Healy to receive first ever NWCI Award for Outstanding Feminist Leadership

Published: Thursday, June 08, 2017

As the new leader of Fine Gael, Leo Varadkar, sets out his policy agenda, women and men from across Ireland are sharing why they are a feminist online using the hashtag #FeministsAreEverywhere. Their brilliant and powerful quotes  are leading up to the National Women’s Council of Ireland’s (NWCI) AGM morning event, Feminists are everywhere, today where women from all walks of life, including Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, will be discussing their priorities for the feminist agenda going forward. 

At the event, NWCI will be giving the first ever NWCI Award for Outstanding Feminist Leadership to feminist activist and social justice campaigner, Gráinne Healy. NWCI will also honour the women and children who were incarcerated in religiously run, State funded institutions in Ireland with the NWCI Solidarity Award.

Frances Byrne, NWCI Chairperson said,

“We are delighted to honour a woman who – through her commitment, leadership and tireless work that goes well beyond the issue of marriage equality -  has contributed immensely to changing the face of Irish society for good - and for the better. We want to pay tribute to this fantastic achievement today and give the first ever NWCI Award for Outstanding Leadership to Gráinne Healy.”

Frances Byrne continued,

“We also want to honour a group of women and children who for far too long were forgotten and silenced in the official memory and history of this State. By giving the NWCI Solidarity Award to Margaret Joyce, who is a survivor, on behalf of the the women and children who were forcibly incarcerated in religiously run, State funded institutions in Ireland, we want to honour their perseverance, their strength and their struggle for justice and recognition.”

Orla O’Connor, Director of NWCI said,

“With our event today we want to highlight that feminists come from all walks of life. They are working and active in a range of sectors and areas, in politics, in the media, in business and in the community. And their message to Leo Varadkar as our soon to be Taoiseach is very clear. Issues such as full reproductive healthcare for women, including abortion, tackling the high prevalence of violence against women, low pay and lack of affordable childcare must be priorities if we want women to be successful and achieve their best potential.”

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For more information, please contact Silke Paasche, NWCI, Tel. 085 858 9104, silkep@nwci.ie