Raising Awareness About Domestic Abuse - Breaking the Silence

The West Clare Women's Forum recently opened an exhibition on Violence Against Women in the Temple Gate Hotel Ennis organised by Ennis West Partners with a piece of drama entitled "Breaking the Silence".  The short piece depicts several areas of abuse experienced by women in the home. These ranged from emotional through to financial, social, physical and sexual abuse.  The drama was very well received, and we have since performed it in Carlow, and at the conference of the National Network Community Strand in Thurles.

The Forum has made a video of this drama. If any groups are interested in the video, or indeed in inviting the drama group to present this very powerful piece of work, please contact us.

Questions to Political Candidates

The Forum published the following advertisement in the county newspaper, the Clare Champion, so that women could be prepared with questions when being canvassed by candidates for the June 2004 local government elections:

Questions for your Politicians

Q:  In what way are you addressing the following women's issues in your manifesto?

- Domestic Violence

- PRSI for women who work in the home.

- Health , Maternity and other services.

Q:    What are you doing about the appalling health services in Co. Clare and the downgrading of  Ennis Hospital?

Q:  What are you doing to ensure that all schools in Clare have adequate personnel and facilities to cater for all students needs?

Q:  What stand are you going to make to abolish the means test on Carers allowance and to advance it to become a wage?

Q:  What is your response to the fact that the Government is dramatically reducing funding to local projects thereby hindering their efforts to counteract Social Exclusion?

Q:  What is your party doing to encourage and support women entering politics?

Q:  What guarantee can you give us that you will be accountable and deliver on your doorstep promises in return for my vote?

We also hosted two public meetings where the public were invited to meet candidates and ask them any questions they wanted.

Health Services

Members of the West Clare Women's Forum have been working with the Mid Western Health Board on a project called Raising Women's Voices. This exciting project aims to find creative ways to collect, and provide, information on women’s health needs in West Clare.

Photographic Exhibition - 'Put More Women in the Picture'.  

West Clare Women's Forum supported by EIRÍ Corca Baiscinn hosted a photographic exhibition entitled "Put More Women in the Picture" as part of a gender awareness campaign in the lead up to the June elections.  The exhibition was commissioned by the National Woman's Council of Ireland ( N.W.C.I ) as part of a project on women in decision making. The exhibition demonstrates the gender imbalance on a variety of state boards and agencies and was displayed in the Kilrush Community School, Kilrush Credit Union and Kilrush Golf Club.  The Women's Forum gives the example of the photograph of members of Dail Eireann , which shows that of the 166 T.D's, 144 are men and just 22 are women. The exhibition is part of a programme to develop gender awareness within a number of statutory organisations and the community sector to encourage them to adopt gender equality policies.

Anyone who did not get a chance to see the exhibition can view the pictures online at www.nwci.ie/pmwitp/01.html

Education System

The West Clare Women's Forum recently sent a questionnaire to each of the secondary schools in West Clare. The purpose of the questionnaire was to get information for young people and parents on school policies. This information could help when deciding what school they want to attend, or to find out whether adequate policies are in place to tackle discrimination, bullying, study supervision and other important issues.