Safer Politics

Implementing solutions to create a safer and more equal culture in Irish politics is a core strategy that we are driving to help make political life more accessible for women in all their diversity. There is increasing evidence of the prevalence of the online and offline abuse of women politicians and aspiring candidates. This is a very concerning barrier to the ongoing political participation of women both in Ireland and around the world.

Women for Election is developing a Safer Politics initiative to increase access to politics for women in all their diversity, which includes developing and implementing solutions to reduce sexism, racism, harassment, and all forms of discrimination and abuse towards female politicians and aspiring candidates.

Working on a cross-party and multi-stakeholder basis we are raising awareness and identifying potential initiatives to reduce abuse and discrimination, activate more bystander interventions and to hold offenders accountable.

We will be launching our new capacity building ‘Safer Politics Safer Campaigning’ programme in the coming months which will aim to equip women with information,  tools and support networks to help navigate online platforms and other challenging environments.

In early 2021 our CEO Caitríona Gleeson was appointed to an independent group of global experts who are advising Facebook’s Women’s Safety Initiative including their Women’s Safety Hub. We have also opened up conversations with other tech companies to advocate for more effective solutions to reduce abuse on social media platforms.

In September 2021 our CEO Caitríona Gleeson presented at the National Women’s Council webinar on tackling social media abuse.