NWC welcomes first Action Plan under National Strategy for Women and Girls

Published: Wednesday, August 05, 2026

NWC welcomes positive actions included in the Action Plan but warns greater ambition is needed to advance gender equality 

The National Women’s Council (NWC) today (5th August) welcomed the long-awaited publication of the first Action Plan under the National Strategy for Women and Girls (2025–2030) but warned that greater ambition is needed to advance gender equality. NWC worked closely with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality as a key partner in the development of the Strategy and the Action Plan.  

The Action Plan sets out a roadmap for implementing the seven objectives in the Strategy by providing key actions across and highlighting Departments and agencies responsible for their delivery.  

NWC was delighted to see many issues NWC has campaigned for in the Action Plan – including: 

actions to extend Parents Leave to provide more time for parents to remain at home for the first year of their child's life 

providing access to secure and long-term housing solutions for victim-survivors of domestic sexual and gender-based violence 

expanding the Free Contraception Scheme to cover the full reproductive lifespan 

NWC also welcomed the announcement of €1 million funding call aimed at supporting women to overcome barriers to employment.   

Commenting on the Action Plan, Corrinne Hasson, Executive Director, NWC, said:  

“This Action Plan sets out a crucial roadmap to realise the Strategy’s ambition to advance women’s rights and equality, eradicate women’s discrimination and promote women’s full participation. And while there is much to welcome in the Plan, there are a number of areas where it falls short. In particular, the measures to improve gender balance in local government do not go far enough to achieve parity. Some local authorities have as few as 8% women councillors. The absence of meaningful actions to introduce gender quotas for local elections is disappointing, especially given the existing 40% gender quota in place for general elections. Without stronger commitments, progress towards equal representation at local level is likely to remain too slow.” 

Corrinne Hasson continued:  

“Similarly, the document published today does not announce any new measures to address the ongoing childcare crisis. A lack of accessible, affordable childcare is the biggest barrier to women’s participation in society. So, the scale of this issue warrants further attention and focus in this Action Plan, rather than simply siloing actions in the next phase of the Early Years Action Plan which has been delayed. NWC and our Together for Public Alliance are continuing to call for a public system of affordable and accessible childcare where every child is guaranteed a place to remedy the current crisis.” 

Progress on gender equality must be inclusive, recognising that barriers to equality are often shaped by multiple and overlapping forms of discrimination. NWC hopes that the implementation of this Action Plan will be aligned with the delivery of other existing national equality strategies.  A joined-up approach will be essential to addressing the intersecting and compounding inequalities experienced by many women and girls, particularly those from minority ethnic communities, disabled women, and LGBTQ+ individuals.  

Corrinne Hasson continued:  

“With the Action Plan now in place, the focus must turn to implementation, monitoring and evaluation. The Strategy rightly recognises the importance of strengthening equality data collection and improving the evidence base for decision-making. NWC hopes this commitment will be reflected in the implementation of the Action Plan through transparent reporting, meaningful performance indicators and regular evaluation, ensuring progress can be measured, accountability maintained, and actions adapted where necessary to deliver real change.”