In Ireland, inequality is still rife against women. In no other area is this more evident that in the area of sexual and reproductive rights. Over 5000 women per year are exported to England and Europe in order to access safe and legal abortion, women experiencing crisis pregnancies are often subjected to rogue agencies who use methods of torture and abuse to direct women’s decision making and girls in crisis situations cannot avail of the morning after pill over the counter. The USI Gender Equality Campaign believes that a woman is entitled to have full decision making power over her reproductive system and to this end we campaign against the current system which discriminates against and endangers the lives of women.

Domestic Violence in Irish Society is a problem. It is a problem among young people as it is a problem among married couples. Abuse in intimate relationships should not be tolerated by any partner, male or female. The USI Gender Equality Campaign campaigns to highlight this issue and remove the stigma around domestic violence in youth relationships. The campaign also works with other organisations to tackle this issue.

Across Irish society there is a distinct lack of women in decision making positions. From boards of agencies to CEOs of companies, from the Dáil to the Senate to local council. This pattern is repeated within the student union representation structures both locally and nationally. Over 50% of our population is female yet institutional discrimination across Irish society means they are excluded from the decision making tables. While the campaign does not support gender quotas as a stand alone solution, we do believe that women need to be empowered to enter the political sphere and to take on this male dominated arena.