Orla O'Connor: Poor abortion services in rural Ireland are failing women
Supporters celebrate at Dublin Castle following the referendum result on the 8th amendment. Despite the constitutional change, rural women remain at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to medical care.
As 2021 draws to a close, women across Ireland will be looking back at a year that was full of challenges and uncertainties.
We know that the Covid-19 crisis has hit women particularly hard and has increased gender inequalities. For women in rural communities, inequalities faced are often compounded by isolation and by systemic barriers such as lack of access to universal services, transport, and under-representation in decision-making spaces.
Where you live in Ireland makes an enormous difference to the services you receive and the lived experiences and particular challenges for women in rural communities continue to be undervalued. Government thinking remains urban-centric. This is evidenced by the continued underrepresentation of women in decision-making and the lack of effective rural proofing and investment.
For example, only 24% of those elected in the 2019 local elections were women, a very small increase from 21% in 2014. And there is a strong urban/rural divide. In Offaly, just one councillor out of 19 is a woman.
One area of particular concern in rural areas is the lack of services and supports for women affected by domestic abuse. We know that one of the reasons a woman may not leave an abusive relationship is that she has nowhere to go. In Ireland, we have one third of the recommended refuge spaces under the Council of Europe Convention on Violence against Women and geographic coverage is poor.
The Government’s ‘Our Rural Future – Rural Development Policy 2021-2025’, launched in 2021, at over 120 pages, and more than 150 commitments for delivery across Government over a five-year period, does not mention domestic violence. This has to change.
Abortion is another issue where geographic coverage is poor. As a result, many women have to travel to their closest city to access this essential reproductive healthcare. Only half of our maternity hospitals provide abortion and only one in 10 GPs do.
On top of a medically unnecessary three-day wait period, these are real and additional barriers to access care for women in rural communities.
Investment holds the key to unlocking opportunities for women’s economic equality. We must address the income inadequacy that exists for rural households, particularly older women living alone and women parenting alone due to the additional and higher costs of transport and barriers to accessing services.
We must ensure that rural development policies include the needs of women and reflect their experiences and voices. Disabled women, Traveller and Roma women and women from ethnic minorities living in rural areas can often face double discrimination.
It is critical that women from minority backgrounds are named, and that specific measures are introduced to promote their full participation in economic, social, cultural and political life. Part of these measures must include new and innovative ways to reach out and engage with women in their diversity.
⚠️Now is the time that #helplines see a spike in calls as women try to keep the peace around their abusive partners for Christmas Day. Please RT these helplines to make sure no woman struggles alone over the festive season. pic.twitter.com/N1RChfTfes
— Womenscouncilireland (@NWCI) December 26, 2021
One positive example of how this could work in practice is the National Women’s Council’s All-island Women’s Forum that was set up this year to work collaboratively on issues facing women across our shared island. The forum brings together 28 women, 14 from Northern Ireland and 14 from the South on a monthly basis. It has provided a unique opportunity to highlight key issues facing women across the island and will be developing a series of recommendations. Amplifying the voices of rural women will remain a key priority for the Women’s Forum.
Another positive example are local and regional women’s caucuses which bring together local women political representatives. They have proven to be an effective tool for women to come together and discuss the key issues that are important to them, irrespective of party political or ideological differences. 16 local caucuses have so far been established, including a regional caucus for the Northwest and Midlands, an area that is seriously over-represented by men.
Finally, if we want to see real change for women in rural communities, we must ensure equal representation amongst our elected representatives. This year, 87% of the citizens of the Citizens’ Assembly on gender equality voted to introduce gender quotas for local elections and for penalties. We need to see this legislation for gender quotas in local elections introduced without delay.
When we talk about what our feminist future looks like, we imagine vibrant and sustainable rural communities, places where people are happy to live and work. To achieve this, it is critical that the voices and experiences of women in all their diversity are heard in all the decisions that affect their lives.
- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.
- Orla O'Connor is Director of the National Women’s Council (NWC), which will be organising a major conference on women in rural communities on International Women’s Day, 8th March, 2022.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
