The Northern Ireland Executive has launched a Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and Girls.
Also included is a First Delivery Plan, which will see a “£3million investment in a range of voluntary and community sector projects”.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill launched the Framework in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday.
The First Minister remembered those women who have been “tragically murdered in our community recently” and extended condolences to their families on behalf of the Assembly.
She made the tragic point that over 20 women have been killed in Northern Ireland in the past four years.
“These stories must make us even more determined to act to tackle the scourge of violence, harm and abuse, which seriously impacts the lives of too many women and girls right across our community,” she said.
The First Delivery Plan covers the first two years of the strategy. It includes key actions “which will drive community investment, increase collaboration, raise awareness and support change through effective campaigns and messaging.”
A public consultation ran from July 2023 until October 2023 to seek views on the draft framework.
Violence against women and girls must stop. That has been highlighted even more so in recent weeks with the deaths of four more women in horrific circumstances. To their families, I extend our deepest condolences and reiterate our commitment to working together to ending this violence, harm and abuse.
– First Minister Michelle O’Neill
Today we bring forward a Strategic Framework and first Delivery Plan. This framework intends to bring together a whole of society and whole of government response to address this issue which impacts the lives of far too many women and girls across our society.
It was written based on the voices and views of those with lived experience and the expertise of those with many years of experience in this area. Their knowledge and experience has been crucial in helping us develop this strategy and we want to thank them for their commitment and support.
The Delivery Plan will support those organisations working to prevent and challenge the attitudes, behaviours and culture that can lead to violence against women and girls. It will deliver real change for those who suffer harm and abuse across our society every day.
There is something everyone can do and we must all work together to take this strategy forward and bring about the changes needed to ensure that we create a better society where women and girls can feel safe and be safe everywhere.
Enough is enough. Violence against women and girls is a cancer on society and must end. We need to act now. When we took up office we said ending violence against women and girls was a priority and today’s launch reflects our commitment to tackling this important issue.
– Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly
The main focus of this strategy is on prevention. We recognise that tackling the underlying causes of violence, abuse and harm towards women and girls and stopping it before it starts is vital.
We also want to support delivery of high-quality services that address the needs of women and girls who are victims and survivors and help prevent further violence from taking place.
The strategy and delivery plan build on the good work already being done and sets out a coordinated approach to tackle what is an extremely complex problem. It is vital we all continue to work together to build the transformative change we need so that women and girls can live free from violence.
That work starts today.
More information can be found on The Executive Office’s website, and you can read the strategy below.
