NWC welcomes milestone on free contraception and dedicated funding for women’s health

Published: Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Responding to Budget 2022, the National Women’s Council (NWC) today welcomed the announcements on the phased roll out of free contraception, action on period poverty and the dedicated funding for women’s health.

Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women’s Council (NWC) said,

“We welcome the dedicated funding for women’s health in today’s Budget. The announcements on the phased roll-out of free contraception and action on tackling period poverty are very welcome and signal a step-change. With sustained Government support this could herald a new era where the distinct needs of women and people who menstruate are recognised and addressed. It is particularly welcome in the context of the economic shock of Covid-19 which younger women have borne the brunt of.”

She continued,

“NWC is calling on the Government to build on these investments in the coming years. While it may only be women at the margins who have difficulty affording any contraception, a much larger proportion of women are likely having difficulties accessing the most effective method, including LARCs.

Reproductive health justice can only be delivered by fully removing the cost barrier across the whole of the reproductive age-range and enshrining the key principle of choice across the board, including access to LARCs as a contraceptive and the availability of period products other than tampons and pads.”

Ends/

For more information, please contact Silke Paasche, Head of Communications, NWC, Tel. 085 858 9104

Notes to Editor:

The National Women’s Council is the leading national representative organisation for women and women’s groups in Ireland, founded in 1973. We have over 190-member groups and a large and growing community of individual supporters.

The ambition of the National Women’s Council is an Ireland where every woman enjoys true equality and no woman is left behind. This ambition shapes and informs our work, and, with our living values, how we work.

We are a movement-building organisation rooted in our membership, working on the whole island of Ireland. We are also part of the international movement to protect and advance women’s and girls’ rights.

Our purpose is to lead action for the achievement of women’s and girls’ equality through mobilising, influencing, and building solidarity. Find out more on www.nwci.ie