Women’s political role still marginal
That this is happening nearly 100 years since women, after a long and bitter struggle, achieved the right to vote is deplorable. But this phenomenon is not confined to Northern Ireland. Women, who comprise 51% of the electorate in the Republic, are represented by a mere 14% of total public representatives. That is not alone bad for women — it is also bad for men as it marginalises the talents of half the population.
The Commission for the Status of Women in the Republic has stated that “the consequences of our present unbalanced representation is that women’s interests often have to be lobbied for from outside the Oireachtas”.
