State ‘still failing women and girls in health, jobs and education’

The State continues to fail women and girls in health, employment and education, the United Nations has been told.

A report from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission says austerity has disproportionately affected women, while women who were in Magdalene laundries or subject to symphysiotomies have been denied access to justice.

The report has been published in advance of the State’s appearance before a UN committee on women’s rights next week. It says the State must take action as a priority to reverse the unfair impact austerity has had on women.

Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald will lead the Government delegation at the Geneva-based UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women next Wednesday.

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Work

The prevalence of women in low-paid jobs and the widespread use of low-hour contracts are particularly worrying, the commission says .

“The commission notes that following the economic recession, pregnancy-related discrimination increased, despite being legally prohibited.”

There were frequent references to workplace discrimination experienced by women with disabilities, Traveller women and trans women during consultations, it says.

Homelessness

The report also raises concerns about homeless women. "Homelessness in Ireland is becoming increasingly gendered, with growing numbers of women and families presenting as homeless," the report says.

Families headed by lone-parents, who are mainly women, consistently account for two-thirds of the families in emergency accommodation.

Lone parents have faced particular hardship in recent years, the report says. It calls on the Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar to review changes made to the one parent family payment introduced by his predecessor Joan Burton.

Domestic violence

Cuts imposed during austerity have had a “debilitating effect . . . on services for victims of domestic violence,” it says.

"The commission is concerned these cuts, coupled with demand for services, have created barriers to accessing emergency accommodation, particularly for rural women, women with addiction, migrant woman and Traveller and Roma women."

The housing crisis means domestic violence victims who do get beds in refuges are spending longer there as they cannot source long-term housing.

The “positive impact” of gender quotas in candidate selection for national elections should be replicated at local government level, it says

Politics

Notable differences between the number of women standing for local elections in rural and urban areas is highlighted, with fewer women standing in rural constituencies .

The report says that gender stereotyping and prejudice based on a traditional view of female gender roles has an adverse impact on women’s and girls’ lives.

The Government could take a lead in challenging this by amending article 41.2 of the Constitution, which presumes a woman’s primary role is as carer and home-maker.

It says the State must fully investigate abuses suffered by women in mother-and-baby homes, Magdalene laundries and by women who were subject to symphysiotomy “in line with international human rights standards”.

It reiterates concern about the restrictive legal barriers to abortion “which has a disproportionate negative impact on certain groups of women” .