SINN Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland has published the report of the Belfast Women’s Assembly which took place in June. Over 120 women from across Belfast met in the Europa Hotel to discuss the role of women in the new Ireland. 

At a follow-up review meeting the Independent Chairperson of the Assembly Eilish Rooney – an Emeritus Scholar at Ulster University and a member of the Constitutional Conversations Group – welcomed the publication of the report. The meeting agreed to establish an independent Belfast Women’s Assembly structure which will meet soon to follow up on the issues raised within the report and to begin preparing and planning for Irish unity.

Speaking at the report launch Deirdre Hargey MLA said: “From the outset, the Belfast Women’s Assembly exceeded expectations. Previously, women had been present and often prominent at public meetings of the Commission on the Future of Ireland. Those meetings hosted contributions from people based on their expertise in advocacy and activism, and in research relevant to local audiences.

“The Belfast Women’s Assembly differed in that everyone in the room was invited to have their say, to ‘dream big’ and speak from the authority of their own lived experience. 

A video of the Belfast women’s Assembly is available here.

“The energy, enthusiasm and serious engagement at the event was simply extraordinary. Contributions throughout the event revealed a clear appreciation of the potential for practical, positive change in women’s lives that a new Ireland could bring.

“It was clear on the night that the women in attendance saw the prospect of a unity referendum as an opportunity to plan for a new Ireland that would guarantee women’s equality, gender rights and social justice.

“The growing momentum in the debate on the future of Ireland is driving the conversation on constitutional change. In addition, the audience in the Belfast event overwhelmingly supported the demand that the Irish Government establish a Citizens’ Assembly on constitutional change.”

Concluding the event the Independent Chairperson Eilish Rooney talked about the next steps and the need for women from this area to continue these conversations. She said: “A proposal was made to establish an independent ‘Belfast Women’s Assembly’ structure which will meet soon to follow up on the issues raised within the report and to begin preparing and planning for unity.”

The Commission on the Future of Ireland was established by Sinn Féin to undertake a grassroots consultation with the people of Ireland and internationally on the future of our island.  Over the past year, nine public People’s Assemblies have taken place across Ireland. The most recent was in Waterford and the final public event for 2023 will be hosted by the Commission next month in the Galway Gaeltacht. This event will take place in Conamara on the 27th November and will be the first of the Commission’s Gaeltacht assemblies.

The Gaeilge version of the report can be viewed here.