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Transcript of WIPL Research Gender Balance Public Bodies
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Women's Representation on Public Bodies and
Decision-Making Structures
Derry/Londonderry and Donegal
Donegal Co Council Second Chance Education Foyle Womens
Project for Women Information Network
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Acknowledgements
Women into Public Life (WIPL) would like to thank all the organisations listed in
this report that provided the necessary data. Their cooperation has been
invaluable. Thank you to the seminar speakers for their openness in sharing
their experiences; their contributions and those of the participants have
helped to shape the outcomes of this research. A very special thanks to
Rachel Coyle, an intern and research graduate with WIPL who carried out this
research in a professional manner and gave of her time most generously.
We hope the findings will stimulate boards, and particularly those surveyed in
this research, to take action to redress the serious gender imbalance of their
structures and avail of the wealth of experience and untapped potential of
womens leadership.
Noirin Clancy
WIPL Project Co-ordinator
November 2012
Abbreviations
WIPL- Women into Public Life
EWL- European Womens Lobby
OCPANI- Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland
OFMDFM- office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
CSO- Central Statistics Office
IOD- Institute of Directors
The views and opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect those of the
European Commission or the Special EU Programmes Body.
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Table of contents
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Foreword
1. INTRODUCTION 32. THE CONTEXTSCommitments and Reality
2.1 International Commitments 3
2.2 National commitments 5
2.3 Commitments made ... but what progress? 6
2.4 Appointments processes 7
3. THE FINDINGS3.1 Snapshot of public bodies 103.2 Cross Border Bodies 11
3.3 North/South Implementation Bodies 11
3.4 Local Bodies 12
3.5 Education 12
3.6 Enterprise and Tourism 13
3.7 Policing 13
3.8 Childcare 14
3.9 Area Partnerships 14
3.10 Analysis of the data 15
4. WHAT WOMEN THINKVIEWS FROM THE FOCUS GROUPAND SEMINAR 17
4.1 The barriers
4.1.1 Recruitment process 18
4.1.2 Family commitments 20
4.1.3 Travel 204.1.4 Confidence 21
4.1.5 Lack of training 21
4.1.6 Culture 214.2 What needs to change? 22
5. CONCLUSION and RECOMMENDATIONS 24BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDICES
Appendix I Focus group invite and list of participants
Appendix II Programme for the June seminar and list of participants
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1. INTRODUCTIONWomen into Public Life
Women into Public Life (WIPL) is a partnership between three womens organisations:Second Chance Education Project for Women (Donegal), Foyle Womens
Information Network (Derry/Londonderry) and Engender (Scotland). Donegal
County Council is the Lead Partner. The Project is funded under the EUs INTERREG
IVA Programme for activities over a three year period up to December 2012 and its
overall aim is to address the under representation of women in public life. Activities
have included leadership training programmes, seminars, research and policy work.
An independent Evaluator was appointed to the Project and a final evaluation
report will be available in December 2012.
Research on gender balance of public bodies and decision-making structures
WIPL carried out research into the gender balance of public bodies and decision-
making structures in the regions of County Donegal and Derry/Londonderry.
The statistics outlined present a snapshot of the gender balance on key bodies and
decision-making structures at national, cross border and local levels. The main
findings focus on decision-making structures in the aforementioned areas. The data
comes from a variety of primary and secondary sources, mainly websites and direct
contact with organisations. They represent a moment in time and, as such, aresubject to change.
The research methodology also involved a focus group discussion and a seminar
which brought together women from different sectors that had experience of
boards in different capacities, many of whom had participated in WIPLs leadership
training programmes. These sessions provided opportunities to get womens views on
the barriers and challenges to womens participation, hear about the different
procedures north and south and identify what needs to change in order to redress
the imbalance
This report is divided into three main sections. The first section summarises the
commitments made by government at international and national levels with regard
to women and decision-making. The second section presents the findings from the
data gathered along with the views expressed at the focus group and seminar. The
final section presents the conclusion and recommendations.
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2. THE CONTEXTSCommitments and Reality
2.1 International commitments
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against
women in the political and public life of the country and, in particular, shall ensure to
women, on equal terms with men, the right to participate in the formulation of
government policy .... (CEDAW Article 7)
Significant progress has been achieved over the decades to address the power
inequalities between women and men. However, in many areas, persistent and
systematic inequalities continue, particularly with regard to womens participation in
political and public life. Women remain grossly underrepresented in national
parliaments. The average representation of women in European parliaments is 24%
and in national governments 23% (EWL, 2010).
The Irish parliament is represented by 85% men and 15% women. The Northern
Ireland Assembly has a slightly higher percentage of women at 19%. The Irish
Government recently introduced gender quota legislation (Electoral Amendment
(Political Funding) Bill 2011) which will see a requirement from all state parties to put
forward a minimum of 30% candidates of either gender in the next election. It is
hoped that in time, this along with other measures, will help to redress the
imbalance.
With regard to womens representation on corporate boards, the European
Commission has issued a draft directive proposing to force companies to reserve at
least 40% of their non-executive board seats for women (EurActive.com, 2011).
Womens representation on public bodies has received less attention. Yet the
figures have stalled for the past decade, levelling at approximately 34% across
Ireland and Northern Ireland. This figure remains even though both governments
have signed up to a number of international agreements aimed at eradicating
gender inequality, with particular reference to women in decision making. Below is a
list of agreements both the Irish government and Northern Irish Assembly haveratified, and what commitments these documents bind governments to make in
relation to women in decision making.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW) has been ratified by both the UK and Irish Governments, requiring them to
eliminate discrimination against women in all fields. Governments submit periodic
reports outlining their compliance under the various articles of the Convention. On
submission of reports they are examined on their progress before the CEDAW
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Committee which then issues Concluding Observations. These detail areas where
Governments need to do more work in order to advance womens equality.
In 2008, the CEDAW Committee highlighted to the UK Government the need for
training programmes:
The Committee urges the State party to increase the availability of
training and capacity-building programmes for women wishing to enter oralready in public office and to enhance its awareness-raising campaigns
on the importance of womens participation in political and public life. The
Committee also calls for the full implementation of Security Council
resolution 1325 (2000) in Northern Ireland.(Concluding observations of theCEDAW Committee - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland, July 2008)
The CEDAW Committee examined the Irish government in 2005 and in its Concluding
Observations recommended that it
take sustained measures to increase the representation of women in
elected bodies ... and recommends that research be carried out under
the aegis of a parliamentary committee into the root causes of the lack ofprogress in this area.
The Beijing Platform for Action committed governments to implement initiatives to
achieve equality for women. Strategic Objective G2 states governments must
Increase women's capacity to participate in decision-making and
leadership... provide leadership and self-esteem training to assist women
and girls, particularly those with special needs, women with disabilities and
women belonging to racial and ethnic minorities to strengthen their self-
esteem and to encourage them to take decision- making positions.
(Beijing Platform for Action, Strategic Objective G2)
The UNs Security Council Resolution 1325
urges Member States to ensure increased representation of women at all
decision-making levels in national, regional and international institutions
and mechanisms for the prevention, management, and resolution of
conflict.(UN Security Council resolution 1325)
The Strategy for equality between women and men 2010-2015 calls on theEuropean Commission to monitor progress towards the aim of 40% of members of
one sex in committees and expert groups established by the Commission. In efforts
to achieve the objectives of Europe 2020, the Commission emphasises that:
the potential and the talent pool of women need to be used more extensively and
efficiently. (European Commission, 2010).
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2.2 NATIONAL COMMITMENTS
Not only have the Irish and UK Governments signed up to these international
agreements, they have also made commitments nationally and developed
strategies to advance womens equality.
The Gender Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland states: government will seek to
achieve a gender balance on all government-appointed committees, boards and
other relevant official bodies. (OFMDFM, 2010)
Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 requires public authorities to promote
equality of opportunity between men and women generally, and between persons
of differing sexual orientation. The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has a
statutory role in monitoring the implementation of these duties.
However, according to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, there is no
overall gender target for public appointments in Northern Ireland, and the
Programme for Government for 2011-2015 does not contain any provisions to
introduce one. (Spokesperson for Equality Commission Northern Ireland, 8 May
2012).
The National Womens Strategy(NWS) is the Irish Governments policy document in
relation to progressing equality for women and a key objective (14) is to increase
the number of women in decision-making positions in Ireland.
A NWS Sub-Committee on Women in Decision-Making was established in 2010 with
the aim of setting in train a range of measurable and targeted actions to advance
the position of women in key decision-making positions in Ireland and propose
recommendations and will propose recommendations, where appropriate, for
improving the current situation in the following areas which include women on
boards (both Corporate and State Boards).
The Sub-Committee was due to present an update to the Monitoring Committee
over the summer of 2011.
In 1995 the Irish Government did introduce targets requiring public bodies to appoint
a minimum of 40% of women and men appointed to all State boards (Government
decision S21590E of March 1995) (Pillinger, 2012).
In March 2011 the incoming Irish Government in its Programme for Government
stated that it will take steps to ensure all State boards have at least 40% of each
gender (Department of the Taoiseach, 2012).
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2.3 COMMITMENTS MADE ... BUT WHAT PROGRESS?
National picture of women on boards, North and South
Despite commitments by governments at international and national levels, progress
has been at a snails pace.
Republic of Ireland
It is 17 years since the Government set a target of 40% for the representation of
women on State Boards (Government decision S21590E of March 1995) (Pillinger,
2012). However, this target has never been reached and figures have stalled at
approximately 34%.
In 2011, women accounted for just over one in three members of State Boards(34.7%) and were outnumbered by men in all national and regional decision-making
structures in Ireland (CSO, 2011). At the end of 2009, there were 3,299 persons serving
on 269 State Boards; of these Board Members, 1,120 were women, giving a female
representation rate of just under 34%. Female representation for 2009 represented no
change on the 2008 figures (CSO, 2011).
Northern Ireland
The number of women on public bodies has remained static since the mid 1990sand increased from a very low base after initial initiatives were introduced in the mid
1980s.
The current figure stands at 33% women (down 1% from 2010). Of the 1510 public
appointments held at 31 March 2011, 67% were held by men and 33% by women.
The corresponding figures at 31 March 2010 were 66% and 34% respectively.
(OFMDFM, 2011).
When broken down by chairperson and board member appointments and
compared to 2009/10, the figures show that:
the number of male chairpersons increased from 78% to 82%; the number of female chairpersons decreased from 22% to 18%; the number of male board members increased from 65% to 66%; and the number of female board members decreased from 35% to 34%
(OFMDFM, 2011).
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2.4 Appointment Processes
Northern Ireland has a formal process in the recruitment of public bodies. Public
appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for
Northern Ireland (OCPANI) whose duty is to ensure that appointments are made onmerit, in a fair and open way, with equality of opportunity for everyone.
The role of Public Appointments Commissioner was created in 1995 with a remit to
provide guidance for Government departments on procedures for making public
appointments; to audit those procedures and report on them annually; and to
investigate complaints about appointment processes. The Commissioner is
independent of government and is supported by a team of civil servants (CPANI,
2012)
Those who show an interest in a vacant public appointment receive an informationpack containing details of the appointment including the criteria required to
perform the role and an application form. If shortlisted, the applicant is then called
for interview. (OFMDFM Central Appointments Unit, 2012.
Despite the establishment of procedures in Northern Ireland since 1995, it has not
resulted in gender balance. Former Commissioner, Felicity Huston, was critical of
a recruitment culture which fills
public bodies predominantly with stale, pale males, who provide civilservants with a mirror image of themselves, rather than personalities who
challenge them. (The Detail, 03 JULY 2011)
A survey carried out in Northern Ireland highlighted the barriers inhibiting womens
participation on boards. These included the application process, confidence, lack
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of experience and experience not gained through traditional routes, awareness of
opportunities and time and family commitments. (Mullan, 2011).
A new Diversity Working Group has been established by the Commissioner as part
of his continuing initiative to highlight and tackle the issue of under-representation
on public boards. The Group met for the first time in July 2012 with a key objective of
formulating action points which will help combat this lack of diversity on
the public boards in Northern Ireland. (CPANI, 2012)
The Republic of Ireland has no similar process for appointments to state boards.
Recent Government policy stipulates that State board vacancies should be
advertised.
In April 2011, the Cabinet approved a Memorandum from the Minister for
Public Expenditure and Reform, proposing that vacancies on State Boards should in
future be advertised on the website of the relevant Government department. Thepublic advertisements inviting applications would also contain the following line:
In considering applications due regard will be given to Government policy
on gender balance on State Boards". (Government decision S180/20/10/1424 of 12
April 2011)
While it is too early to judge if this is successful, a recent survey concluded the
process is not as transparent as it should be with nearly two-thirds of those surveyed
stating the positions were not advertised widely enough and most people hearing
about vacancies by word of mouth or through contact with the relevant minister.(IOD, 2012).
TASC is critical of the monopoly of board positions by elite groups lacking any
accountability,
Ireland is out of step with best practice elsewhere in that it does not have
a public appointments commission to oversee the appointment of
approximately 5,000 persons to the boards of public bodies (TASC report,2011).
Often community and voluntary pillar positions on a public board are advertised
and elections held whereby community and voluntary groups put forward
candidates and vote for members to represent them on particular boards. This
appears to be a positive step with many local authorities such as councils and area
partnerships offering to referee the election to ensure transparency. However, the
community and voluntary pillar is rarely on the majority of any board and often
political patronage can affect community groups.
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The scope of this research did not allow for any examination of the appointments
processes of voluntary and statutory organisations in the region.
This next section presents a snapshot of the gender balance on some key bodies at
national and cross border level with the main focus on public bodies and decision-
making structures in the Derry/Londonderry and County Donegal region. The data
obtained comes from a variety of primary and secondary sources, mainly websites
and direct contact with organisations. The statistics represent a moment in time
and, as such, are subject to change.
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3. THE FINDINGSThe statistics outlined below present a snapshot of the gender balance of some key
bodies and decision-making structures at national, cross border and local levels. The
first three tables focus on national bodies, Cross Border bodies and North/SouthImplementation bodies. The tables that follow focus on public bodies and decision-
making structures in Derry/Londonderry and are broken into the following sectors:
education etc. with each table representing the respective areas.
3.1 Snapshot of National Public Bodies
Out of eleven bodies surveyed north and south, only three have gender balance
although six do meet the 40% target set by Irish government. The Equality Authority,
the NI Housing Executive and the NI Rural Development Council have gender
balance. (Equality Authority has two vacant positions which skew the statistics).
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3.2 Cross Border BodiesThe following chart represents the boards of cross border bodies; none of which
meet the 40% target. Three of the six boards have 10% or less female representation
while one, the board of the International Centre for Local and Regional
Development, has no female representation.
3.3 North South Implementation Bodies
This chart represents the North South Ministerial Council and its implementation
bodies. The Ministerial Council is represented by TDs and MLAs so the 20% femalerepresentation reflects gender balance in governments. Waterways Ireland does
not have a functioning board at the moment so is not included. It is interesting to
note that two of the five bodies have a slight majority of women board members.
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3.4 Local Bodies
This chart represents local decision making structures. The figures illustrate elected
members of Donegal and Derry City Councils. The figures for the peace
partnerships are similar. For the councils however, Derry city council has 27%
women while Donegal lags behind with only 10% women represented, of the 29councillors only three are women.
3.5 Education
This chart represents the education boards in the area. One out of six boards has a
majority of women while the remaining five fail to achieve gender balance; the
University of Ulster, however, is close at 47%. This is interesting as the majority of
education sector employees are female- yet their boards do not reflect this.
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3.6 Enterprise and Tourism
These charts represent the enterprise and tourism boards in the respective areas.
None of the four boards have gender balance. The Board of Invest NI has no
woman at all while Donegal County Enterprise Board has only one woman member.
3.7 Policing
These charts represent policing boards in the region. It is interesting to note thecontrast. The Derry/Londonderry board has a majority of female members while the
Donegal board has only 14% of women represented.
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3.8 Childcare
The following chart represents childcare boards. Unsurprisingly, women far outweigh
men on these boards as childcare is traditionally affiliated with womens work.
3.9 Area Partnerships
The following chart represents area partnerships. RAPID (Rural Area Partnership in
Derry) has a gender balance while the other four organisations fail to meet the 40%
target.
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3.10 ANALYSIS OF THE FINDINGS
The findings presented clearly show that women remain underrepresented in public
bodies and key decision-making bodies at both national and cross border levels and
in the Derry/Londonderry and Donegal regions.
Statistics for national and cross-border bodies reveal:
Of the 11 bodies surveyed, only three have gender balance, the EqualityAuthority, the NI Housing Executive and NI Rural Development Council, and
six bodies meet the 40% target set by Irish government.
None of the boards of cross-border bodies have gender balance or meet the40% target. The board of the International Centre for Local and Regional
Development has no female representation.
Of the five North/South Implementation Bodies, two boards have a slightmajority of women members.
In the Donegal and Derry/Londonderry regions, the figures highlight:
Only two bodies have gender balance, RAPID (Rural Area Partnership inDerry) and the Donegal Education Centre.
Women represent the majority of board members in the childcare sector inboth regions and have a slight majority on the policing board in
Derry/Londonderry.
The enterprise sector has the poorest record, with no female representationon its board in Northern Ireland.
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The summary of the findings do not reveal any surprises. The over-representation of
women in the childcare sector reflects their traditional roles in society as the main
care givers and the reality that childcare is still womens work.
It is interesting to note that a policing body in Derry/Londonderry has a majority of
women.
It is also important to note that many boards require a number of councillors to sit on
them, which can skew the outcome. Until councils themselves have gender balance
it will be difficult for this to be achieved on some boards where councillors hold
many of the seats.
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4. WHAT WOMEN THINKViews from the Focus Group and the Seminar
This section summarises discussions from the focus group and seminar. These two
events provided opportunities to discuss a range of issues concerning womensrepresentation on public bodies.
The focus group, held in May, involved a small group of women from the region
some of whom had experience of participating on boards. Preliminary findings from
the research and the challenges and barriers inhibiting womens participation on
boards were discussed. (See Appendix I for programme and list of participants).
A follow-up seminar, Who makes the decisions? Womens Representation on
Boards, was then held in June which provided an opportunity to hear about the
big picture, have more in-depth discussions on the challenges and identify whatneeds to change to redress the gender imbalance on boards. At the seminar, Eoin
Murray (Womens Equality in Politics Project Co-ordinator) National Womens
Council of Ireland and Ann Marie Gray (Senior Lecturer, Social Administration &
Policy) University of Ulster presented statistics and the policy contexts North and
South. Presentations were made by five women, currently sitting on a range of
decision-making structures in the region who spoke of their experiences and
challenges. Several women were former WIPL training participants. At a national
level, a former board member of the Educational Building Society, Eithna Tinney,
spoke of the particular challenges she faced when she served as a non-executive
director. (See Appendix II for seminar programme and list of speakers).
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4.1The barriers to womens participation on boards4.1.1 Recruitment processes
Lack of information
The differences in recruitment procedures to boards north and south were
highlighted. Women commented on the lack of information on vacancies and
recruitment processes in the Republic of Ireland in comparison to Northern Ireland.
While some bodies, such as partnerships and Vocational Educational Committees,
look for nominations to their boards through community groups or parents
committees, many State Board vacancies are not widely advertised. As one
participant commented:
I wouldnt even think of it, its not on your radar, Ive never seen any positions
advertised so it wouldnt enter my head . . . unless of course youre in theknow.
Application process
While there is a formal mechanism in Northern Ireland, some problems were
highlighted regarding the application process:
The process in Northern Ireland is similar to applying for a job; often applications
can be up to 22 pages long and can take weeks to complete.
Many women described this arduous and lengthy procedure as very off-putting.
Interviews
When attending for interviews, participants were reminded of the importance of self-
promotion and acknowledging individual skills and achievements, not something
women do automatically.
Selling ourselves and recognising the value of our skills and qualities and how
you present yourself is vital.
In the voluntary sector when talking about the work we do, the language
women use is we; however, the we must become I when being
interviewed.
When attending for interview for a board position, conflict of interest can also be
an issue when, for example, in a place like Derry, everyone knows everyone either
personally or through reputation.
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Lack of diversity
Despite a formal appointments process in Northern Ireland since 1995, this has not
resulted in diversity on boards. Many participants were critical of the fact that in
most cases boards do not reflect the diversity of the people its decisions affect.
As one participant commented:
People appoint in their own likeness.
Another participant emphasised the importance of naming it:
We should acknowledge the privileged the able bodied, settled,
heterosexual etc. women on boards are all similar . . . theres no diversity.
The overlap in membership was also highlighted. Once you are in the system, you
are in and much more likely to get on to other boards:
We can quickly become known as the person who sits on committee the
revolving door syndrome.
Seminar speakers: Ethna Tinney (former Educational Building Society Board Member);
Ann Marie Gray (University of Ulster); Shauna McClenaghan (Donegal County
Development Board); Avril Sweeney (Start Strong/Donegal County Childcare
Committee); Helen Henderson (NI Fisheries Board Member); Paula Leonard (Donegal
Community Forum) Catherine Pollock (Derry Policing & Community Safety Partnership);
Noirin Clancy (WIPL).
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4.1.2 Family commitmentsMany participants highlighted the fact they would not even consider applying for a
position on a board due to family commitments. If boards offer paid posts this can
help towards the cost of childcare, but this is not always the case. Some noted how
different it is for men:
Men have the luxury of giving it little thought, they apply and think about any
consequences later.
Be aware of how much time is actually expected from you; you dont want to
get burned out.
Women felt strongly that their time parenting and working in the home is not valued.
Many pointed out that the skills involved in running a home such as managing
budgets and finance, planning and organisation skills are perfectly transferrable to
the boardroom. However, this does not happen in reality.
As one participant pointed out:
There is no concept of banking the time that women may take out to rear a
family and work in the home.
The widely held assumption that the experience and skills gained in child-rearing
count for nothing must be seriously challenged. This can be done most effectively bywomen who are already on boards. As one participant commented:
Its not simply a question of getting women into these decision-making bodies;
it has to be about changing the status quo.
Not only must women learn how to get on boards, they also need to
understand how to effectively influence using their position . . . we need
women who will bring a feminist analysis to the process of board decisions and
women who will support other women.
4.1.3 TravelTravel is a very practical barrier inhibiting womens participation if they wish to take
up a position on a board that meets in Belfast or Dublin, given the distances from
Donegal and Derry/Londonderry. For someone in Donegal a two- or three-hour
meeting could mean 10 hours of travel. This is an impossibility for most women.
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4.1.4 ConfidenceMany participants spoke about needing the confidence to even consider applying
for a position on a board, and then the confidence to actively participate. Women
board members spoke about how long it takes before they feel their voices are
heard. Getting used to the jargon and language, often perceived as sexist, is a
challenge. Many emphasised the need for ongoing training and support once you
get on. However, one participant spoke of the need to rise to the challenge,
despite the lack of confidence:
We probably just need to go for it . . . sometimes were our own worst enemy.
4.1.5 Lack of training
Many spoke of the need for focus on training in relation to getting on to boards andactively participating in them and the need for a mentoring system. It was felt that
this would greatly increase womens confidence. One woman from WIPLs Strategic
Leadership Programme spoke of how she successfully got appointed to a board as
a result of learning about the appointments process and doing a skills audit as part
of this training:
The Strategic Leadership Programme course came at a perfect time for me. I
felt the need to get more political and learn about how I could influence
policy and ultimately challenge injustice.
4.1.6 CultureSome women commented on culture as a key barrier: the way meetings are run, the
expectation that you play the game, that you dont challenge or ask the awkward
questions. There is also the expectation that women accept male as norm in terms
of behaviour, communication and the way meetings are conducted, etc. As one
participant comically remarked:
No feminist need apply.
This was clearly illustrated by a keynote speaker at the seminar, Ethna Tinney. A
former board member of the EBS, Ethna spoke about being voted off the board at
the 2007 AGM after voicing her concerns about decisions the society was making,
and challenging the Chair and Executive Director.
When I started making waves I would be ostracised . . . it is expected that
women play the game and how its played is dictated by men.
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Despite two male colleagues sharing her concerns, they did not receive the same
cold shoulder, which confirmed for her that there is a difference in being a woman
on a board. Very often women reported feeling trivialised when they are forced to
push the same argument again and againthe attitude becomes here she goes
again, which can be off-putting.
It was noted that some women on boards also participate in this game playing by
accepting without challenge the male way of doing things. It was felt these women
do nothing to support or empower other women.
For some young women members, ageism can also be an issue. One woman spoke
about having to deal with ageist remarks and being easily dismissed.
An added complication for board members in Northern Ireland (for women and
men) do with women) was the expectation that you vote according to yourreligion.
4.2 What needs to change?Participants were asked what measures could be taken to help them or other
women take up positions on boards and decision-making structures. The following
summarises their views:
Establish an independent public appointments commission in the Republic ofIreland, learning from the experience of Northern Ireland.
Adopt a more user friendly selection process in Northern Ireland in order toattract more women.
Draw up a 10 point plan on how to get selected. Establish a database or talent bank of women. Set up a mentoring system where female board members could provide
supports to other women.
Provide specific training programmes for women.
Participants at the seminar were asked to share their advice and top tips for womenconsidering taking up an appointment on a public board or decision-making
structure.
Ask questions and do not accept wishy-washy answers.
We need a critical mass, learn what your skills are and value them; be yourself.
Build alliances but do not lose your integrity; be more savvymen do lobbying
better, it seems, so we must work on this; women need to shimmy up together.
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Lift as we climb.
Support other people to replace us . . . be aware of who we are bringing along
with us.
Be sure and evaluate yourself at least once a year; ask yourself what
differences have I made? How has this advanced me as a person?
Challenge the culture of just agreeing with the chair.
Be a good advocate for your group or organisation; make submissions so that
people will recognise your name, they will begin to watch your work and
maybe you could be asked on to a board.
If you want to travel fast, travel alone; however, if you want to travel far, travel
with many.
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5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONSConclusion
The findings of this research clearly show that women continue to be under-
represented in public bodies and key decision-making structures at all levels in
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
While governments have made commitments at international level and have
developed national strategies and targets in relation to gender balance on public
boards, the findings indicate that there has been no change for the past ten years.
While there is a formal appointments process in Northern Ireland, it has not resulted in
gender balance. No similar process exists in the Republic of Ireland, several bodies
have called for the system to be more transparent, accountable and independent.
This under-representation of women, as is clearly stated in the body of this report,
constitutes a serious democratic deficit. Failure to tap into the potential of womens
skills, capacities and experiences is a serious detriment to the progress of any
society. Given the lack of sufficient progress in achieving gender balance on
boards and the fact that it remains a common challenge, North and South, radical
steps and targeted measures are necessary to shift the status quo; otherwise the
untapped potential of womens leadership will remain dormant.
Recommendations
This list of recommendations is influenced by other publications related to this issue
as well as by contributions from participants who attended the focus group and
seminar.
We are calling on both the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly to:
Comply with international human rights standards and implement respectivenational strategies to achieve a gender balance on all government-
appointed committees, boards and other relevant official bodies.
Make gender balance on State boards a statutory requirement. Establish a national support structure to enable the participation of women in
public bodies. This would include training and mentoring programmes and
opportunities to engage with national parliaments and committee structures.
Create a cross-border committee (potentially involving the respectiveEquality authorities) to monitor the gender balance of cross border bodies,
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ensuring their compliance with international standards and government
targets.
Ensure the next round of EU funding programmes (2014-2020), particularlyINTERREG V and Peace 4, include interventions to support womens
engagement in cross border activities, education and training, continuedresearch and opportunities to connect with and learn from EU networks
We are calling on the Irish government to:
Establish an all-party sub-Committee (similar to the sub-Committee onWomens participation in Politics) which would examine the challenges
facing womens participation on public bodies and make recommendations
to address this imbalance.
Follow best practice and establish a commission for public appointments.
We are calling on the Northern Ireland Assembly to:
Create a gender target for public boards, similar to that in the Republic ofIreland.
Adopt a more user friendly selection process in Northern Ireland in order toattract more women.
We are calling on womens groups and NGOs to:
Establish a talent bank in collaboration with relevant national bodies and
circulate this widely to decision-making bodies.
Disseminate information on the vacancies arising in public boards to suitable
women in the talent bank.
Establish mentoring programmes.
Develop a portal which would be a single point of access providing a rangeof web-based resources and materials in relation to womens issues.
We are calling on public bodies to address gender balance on their boards by:
Carrying out a gender audit of their own boards. Committing to gender analysis training for board members. Creating a talent bank of suitable women by liaising with relevant womens
organisations.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Beijing Platform for Action
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing15/index.html
Clancy, P. and OConnor, N. (2011) Public Appointments: Options for Reform. TASCwww.tascnet.ie
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/
Crowley, N. (2011) Exchange of Good Practices in Gender Equality; Implementation
of Gender Mainstreaming Belgium, 17-18 May 2011 Comments Paper- Ireland 2011.
European Commission
Central Statistics Office (2011) Men and Women in Ireland. www.cso.ie
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment Northern Ireland (2011) Women in
Northern Ireland September 2011. www.detni.gov.uk
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (2007) National Womens Strategy
2007-2016. The Stationary Office
Donegal County Development Board (2002) Donegal County Strategy 2002-2012.
Donegal County Development Board
Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland (2011) Sex and Power Scotland.
Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland
European Commission (2010) More Women in Senior Positions; Key to Economic
Stability and Growth. European Commission
European Womens Lobby (2010) From Beijing to Brussels An Unfinished Journey; The
European Womens Lobby Beijing+15 Report on the Activities of the European Union.
Gender Equality Division Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (2008)
Implementing the National Womens Strategy 2007-2016, Progress Report 2007/2008
Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Stationary House
Institute of Directors (2012) State Boards Ireland; Challenges for the Future
McGilloway, M. (2001) Finding a Balance; Promoting Women in Local Decision
Making. Derry Inter Agency Group Addressing Gender Equality
McIlwain, C. The uphill battles of a Stormont regulator. The Detail, 03 JULY 2011
McNicolas, L. (2009) Donegal County Development Boards; Planning for Inclusion in
County Donegal. Donegal Count y Council
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Mullan, E. (2011) Women on Boards: Fact of Fiction Womens Leadership
Conference 8 March 2011 Summary pre-conference research findings. Strictly
Boardroom
National Womens Council of Ireland (2002) Irish Politics, Jobs for the Boys!
North West Womens Sector 2001-2016 Strategy for the North West Womens Sector
for Derry, Strabane and Omagh Council Areas
Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland (2008). Diversity
DeliversA strategy for enhancing equality of opportunity in Scotlands ministerial
public appointments process. Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in
OFMDFM Central Appointments Unit (2012) Make Your Mark; A guide to Public
Appointments in NI. Central Appointments Unit Castle Buildings Stormont
OFMDFM (2012) Public Bodies and Public Appointments Annual Review 2010/2011.
Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
OFMDFM Social Inclusion Team (2010) Gender Equality Strategy; A strategic
framework for action to promote gender equality for women and men 2006-2016.
Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister
Pillinger, J. (2012) Women in economic decision-making in Ireland. European
Commission
Regan, M. (April 18, 2011) Women get just 31% of state posts. Irish Examiner Online
Rubery, J. (2002) Gender Mainstreaming and Gender Equality in the EU: the impact
of the EU employment strategy. Industrial Relations Journal 33: 500-552
Womens National Commission (2009) Women in Public Life today. London. National
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Websites
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(aaccessed 13/8/12)
Euroactive online
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514589 accessed (13/9/12)
CPANI; http://www.publicappointmentsni.org/
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APPENDIX I
Focus Group Invitation 23 May 2012
The focus group will be an informal discussion where participants from both Donegal
and Derry/Londonderry will be asked to share their experiences. Participants of thefocus group are all women who currently sit on public boards. From this discussion
we are hoping to document information on potential barriers to womens equal
representation, as well as the appointments processes involved in becoming a
board member.
The information we are looking for from participants include
Appointments process of respective boards- is the board appointed throughpublic appointments or is there some sort of equality policy in relation to
appointments in the organisation
Is the board representational or does it influence policy? What is the participants experience of public boards i.e. what processes lead
them to their current positions? For example, were you nominated; did you
apply for the position?
Is there gender balance on your boards? Opinions from experience: are there barriers to womens participation and is
there anything we can do about it?
From this group, individuals will be chosen to provide a profile of their experiences in
public life (with tips for women coming forward) to be published in the final research.
List of Attendees
Name Organisation
Clancy, Noirin WIPL
Cooke, Catherine FWIN
Coyle, Rachel WIPL
Doherty, Mary Inishowen Womens Information
Network/ Strategic Leaders
Fox, Maureen WIPL
Gallagher, Crona Donegal VEC
Garfield Kidd, April Derry City Council/ FWIN
McCallion, Mary Inishowen Development Partnership/Strategic Leaders
McIntyre, Louise Creggan Pre School Training Trust
Smyth, Anne University of Ulster/ Strategic Leaders
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APPENDIX II
WHO MAKES THE DECISIONS?
WOMENS REPRESENTATION ON BOARDS
Tuesday, 26 June 2012. 10.002.00 pm
Public Services Centre, Donegal County Council, Letterkenny
This seminar will stimulate debate on the under-representation of women on boards,
present WIPL research findings, highlight the different contexts and processes North
and South, hear stories from female board members and identify what needs to
happen to redress the gender imbalance.
Speakers:
The contexts - North and South:
Ann Marie Gray, University of Ulster; Eoin Murray, National Womens Council of Ireland
Voices of Women Board Members:
North West
Catherine Pollock, Derry Policing & Community Safety Partnership Shauna McClenaghan, Donegal County Development Board Paula Leonard, Donegal Community Forum Helen Henderson, Northern Ireland Fisheries & Harbours Authority
Avril Sweeney, Start Strong / Donegal County Childcare Committee
National:
Ethna Tinney, former Board Member, Educational Building Society
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WHO MAKES THE DECISIONS?
WOMENS REPRESENTATION ON BOARDS
Tuesday, 26 June 2012. 10.002.00 pm
List of Attendees
Name Organisation
Brennan, Finola NCCWN- Donegal Womens Network
Byrne, Maureen -
Clancy, Noirin WIPL
Conaghan, Geraldine McBride Conaghan Solicitors
Conway, Theresa WIPL
Coyle, Rachel WIPL
Crossan, Mary St Johnston Family Resource Centre
Dempsey, Adele Letterkenny Womens Centre
Dillon, Carol NCCWN- NLWCDoherty, Carmel None
Doherty, Mary Inishowen Womens Information Network
Fox, Maureen WIPL
Friel, Ann Donegal Traveller Project
Friel, Catherine Tuath, LYIT
Gaynor, Janet Health Promotion HSE West
Grey, Anne Marie University of Ulster
Hegarty, Tara Walter/Hegarty Solicitors
Henderson, Helen Northern Ireland Fisheries and Harbours
Authority
Kavanagh, Roisin Letterkenny Womens Centre
Leonard, Paula Donegal Community Forum
Maguire, Mary Letterkenny Womens Centre
McCallion, Mary Inishowen Development Partnrship
McClenaghan, Shauna Donegal County Development Board
McCool, Denise Inishowen Development Partnership
McGarvey, Maeve Donegal VEC
McKinney, Mary SCEPW
McLaughlin, Ann -
Mullan, Catriona CAWT
Murray, Eoin National Womens Council of IrelandPollock, Catherine Derry Policing and Community Safety
Partnership
Sharkey, Bronagh -
Sweeney, Avril Donegal County Childcare Committee
Timony Meehan, Anne Alcohol Forum
Tinney, Ethna Educational Building Society
Ul Chochlainn, Caithlin Donegal County Council
Ward, Rose Mary The Bluestack Centre
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