The "prehistoric attitudes" of some of Northern Ireland's male politicians were challenged yesterday at a special debate in Parliament Buildings, Stormont, held to mark International Women's Day.
Sinn Fein Assembly member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Ms Michelle Gildernew, who hosted the event, noted that only 14 of the 108 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly were women.
"I'd like to see an end to the prehistoric attitudes of some of the male Assembly members. We want to focus on the issues that matter to women, from domestic violence to hospital closures," she said.
Ms Gildernew said Sinn Fein had developed a long-term strategy to achieve 50-50 representation at all levels in the party. It had updated its women's rights policy and regarded as important a gender perspective in "all aspects" of society. "The attitudes of some male Assembly members have been derogatory and downright sexist and the fact that these people are seen as role models to younger generations does not augur well for future generations."
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Northern Ireland Committee, marked International Women's Day by launching a major recruitment drive to encourage women to join unions. "Women need a strong voice at work and unions provide that," said Ms Gaye Partridge, chairwoman of the ICTU Women's Northern Ireland Committee.
Speakers included Ms Eilish McCabe of Relatives for Justice, Ms Eileen Calder of the Belfast Rape Crisis centre and Cuban film producer Ms Xonia Zayas Aguero.