A record number of women are running in this year’s General Election
The General Election is just around the corner and the National Women’s Council is celebrating the record number of women running in this month’s election.
The NWC welcomed the record number of women running in the General Election as a historic opportunity to improve women’s political representation in Dail Eireann. Ireland currently only ranks 104th globally in terms of female parliamentary representation.
As of November 13th, 234 women have confirmed they will be contesting the General Election. This is a 44% increase compared to the 2020 General Election. All political parties are expected to meet the gender quota of 40%.
Rachel Coyle, Head of Campaigns and Mobilisation with NWC said:
“The record number of women running in this General Election shows that the gender quota is working, ensuring more women are on the ballot. This gives voters more choice. This election is a historic opportunity to change women’s abysmal representation of just 23% of elected TDs and ensure women can equally influence policies and legislation that will impact their lives.”
“We get better decisions when we have a balance”
In a recent interview with Her.ie, Mary Robinson said we need balance in Government.
Mary Robinson told Her.ie: “We need that balance. It’s not that women are better than men, it’s that we get better decisions when we have a balance.
“Scandinavian countries are the proof of it, and they have half of their cabinets are women, they have women Primeministers, they don’t even think about it being a man or a woman now. It’s normal. And that’s where we need to get to.”
Liliana Fernandez, Leadership Officer with NWC echoed her thoughts.
“Despite the historic opportunity that this election represents, women continue to face significant barriers when seeking political office.
“Candidate selection and party culture, care responsibilities, and increasingly online abuse and violence are just some of the well-documented challenges they must deal with and overcome. These barriers are compounded for women on low incomes, lone parents, rural women, Traveller women, migrant and disabled women.
“The gender quota in itself will not be enough to achieve the gender parity and gender-balanced Cabinet that we need, but it goes a long way in leveling the playing field.”
She continued: “NWC is also advocating for the use of only-women co-option lists when vacancies of local authority seats arise after the election results. Co-option offers a valuable opportunity to increase women’s and minority representation as sitting councillors running for the Dáil leave vacant positions.”
NWC has developed a Feminist Manifesto for the General Election 2024 outlining ten key asks for candidates. NWC is inviting voters to check their candidates’ stance on these issues before voting on November 29th, 2024.
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