Background to the Research

• This report sets out the results of a one year study of the political and community participation of women in Northern Ireland. Its aims were to examine (1) what effects women consider their activism has on the resolution of conflict (2) what role community education processes and practices play on promoting alliances between women operating in their separate communities and (3) whether educational processes and practices can contribute to increasing the political effectiveness of women in Northern Ireland.

Research Approach

• The research was based in three electoral areas of Belfast, Court, Lower Falls and Laganbank areas. The question of women's involvement in electoral politics was the focus of the interviews with elected councillors for wards in these areas (n=14) and with representatives of the seven political parties who had put up candidates in the last local government elections.
• Women's community political involvement was explored by means of postal questionnaire completed by 213 women who belonged to local women's groups of various kinds in these areas. Interviews with 17 others who were professionally and politically active in the areas were carried out to place findings in an overall context. This was further aided by dissemination sessions in local areas.

Main Findings

Electoral Politics

• The report found:
  • High levels of commitment and a wide range of activities of councillors, both male and female.
  • A widespread recognition that women face difficulties and barriers to participation as councillors.
  • Some differences of perception between men and women as to what the difficulties are.
  • A recognition, especially on the part of women, that inclusion as well as well as exclusion can work against women.
  • Disagreement as to how far 'pragmatic' and 'proactive' measures could be taken to aid women.
  • Variable levels of success by the parties in their efforts to address the question of women's participation in party statements and policies.
  • Records that are almost uniformly poor of representation of women in the decision-making structures of the parties.

Women's Community Participation

• The report found:
  • That women devote considerable amounts of time to their groups, attending on a frequent and regular basis.
  • That groups are frequently seen as having an impact on their local community and addressing local needs in various ways.
  • That groups are rarely seen as being 'political', unless a distinction is made between politics with a 'big P' and politics with a 'little p'.
  • That groups serve a wide range of functions, including friendship, development of self-confidence and giving women and children the opportunity to meet others.
  • That women in Court are more likely to see their group as having a cross-community dimension than are women in the Falls.
  • That women in the Falls area are more likely to stress the importance of groups for their personal development. Whereas women in Court are more likely to stress friendship and support.
  • That the main problem facing group is lack of funding.
  • That women are interested in more educational activity for themselves, want to see more women as councillors and MPs and would take part in public discussion.
  • That women are more likely to see their own contribution as 'rearing children, to talk, not fight' rather than joining political parties.
  • That women's ways of working, of collaborating and of dialogue do not align easily with current community relations vocabulary.

Conclusion

• The conclusion to the report stresses the varied forms of activity in which women engage, and challenges the tendency to regard women's political participation in any simple way as less than men's. It emphasises that women are active in local politics, despite attitudinal and behavioural barriers, and that women's activity in their local groups cannot be dismissed as 'women's issues' only and of no wider impact.