Women’s Manifesto Group: Opportunity for Women to Collectively Reconnect with Local Politics

Published: Monday, June 27, 2011

Longford Women's Manifesto Group was formed two years when women in the county felt alienated from local politics and dissatisfied with decision making processes. Women, within households, communities and society, do not have the same access to and control over resources, they have different needs and priorities to men and can be impacted differently by changes in their community. Furthermore, as at national level, women and women's voices are underrepresented within political and decision making structures at local level, making up approx 15% of representatives.

With the support of Longford Women's Link, the Women's Manifesto Group was established with the aim of bringing women's perspective to local decision-making fora.

Roll out of Model
The Women's Manifesto Group has established a recognised model for women's engagement with County Councils, Council Services, decision-makers, etc, at local level. Given the success of this project to date this model is now ready to roll out across other counties in Ireland. (Funding for the rollout of this model has been secured from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.)

If you are a women's organisation, women's group, and/or collective/individual women and interested in establishing a similar structure in your own area, or with any questions in relation to this project, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Please contact the Women's Manifesto Project Development Officer at eilishcorcoran@longfordwomenslink.org or on 043-3341511.