SAFE Ireland who support the development of services to women and children affected by domestic violence, count and document the numbers using the services and analyse the responses and need, lost their core funding and decided not to compromise themselves either in changing into a corporate/enforcement body for the refuge sector.    They are closing down and won’t be replaced.

The reaction of Labour Women.

HSE using savings constructively? Surely there has to be more of a response or critique than this?

Assume that you can insert the names of many other organisations into future tweets from Labour Women over the coming months as the HSE, Dept of Justice, Department of Social Protection and others withdraw funding to many womens, community and rights organisations.

Bondholders or improving the response of the state to women affected by domestic violence?

At least Labour Youth opposed University fees and joined the campaign.  Labour Women obviously don’t feel as passionate about the sisterhood.   Values? Dim distant memories.

Other organisations are being told of their funding cuts at the moment.  More will be told in the coming weeks.  I may make a list of the fallen – the previous government decimated the community development sector.  Now the rights and policy sector are up next for further possibly fatal cuts.

I don’t think groups should be kept open for the sake of it by the way.  I’m quiet happy to see PWDI gone – they were a group who didn’t do a lot, didn’t represent people properly and cost a lot of money doing it.  The really sad thing is that people with disabilities have no critical analysis or autonomous space as both philanthropical and governmental funding has proved not suitable to support people’s voices to be heard.

Update

Labour Women have commented to say that their tweet was not fully indicative of their response and that it was their facebook comment that was tweeted.

After the annoucement of the members of the cabinet today I didn’t publish it and thought about trashing it.

But there it is for some of you to laugh at and maybe some of you to agree with.  I think and hope Joan Burton will make a great Minister for Social Protection.   I don’t know what happened to prevent her being appointed to an economic portfolio.  But I have a few ideas why.   Lots of people despair at the number of women in politics and public life but nobody seems willing to do anything about it.  And the Labour Party, the men in the Labour Party have shown that they are first in the do nothing queue.

Can I just say (yes I went there!)  how pleased I am to see Joan Burton appointed as a senior Minister and one of the Ministers for Finance in the new cabinet.  I have known her for over 20 years and have admired her tenacity and patience and genuine interest in people and ideas and not herself, but for the past two years that admiration has grown.  Her stubborness and dedication to telling it like it is and pointing out the flaws of the policy of the last government was immense.  She sought advice, talked to people at home and abroad, found out information on the bail out, led the opposition to it and tried to explain to everyone what was going on.

The spinning against her in recent months has been very obvious and the muscling in by some men in the Labour Party has also not gone unnoticed by many.  I am sure I will not agree with many of the decisions she or her colleagues will make in the years to come but she is a strong passionate, intelligent woman who as Olivia O’Leary said yesterday sometimes gets it wrong. The difference is that Joan seems to get a lot more stick for doing the wrong thing than many men and has had to face a lot of unnamed sexism in opposition.   There are far too few women in the new Dáil and only three women in Cabinet.

It’s a good day today to see a feminist appointed to the Cabinet.  There will be  horrible days ahead but for today I want to say well done and good luck.

(Link to Olivia O’Leary diary on Drive Time http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2011/pc/pod-v-4m53s080311drivetime-pid0-293496.mp3 )

What else can we garner from last nights Freefall other than the programme makers love shots of traffic and big buildings and dramatic music?

If Brian Lenihan’s trip to the races in Gowran Park on September 27th 2008 was news to you well Shane Ross documented it in his book The Bankers.

Lenihan was working the 30 tables of Fianna Fáil supporters, each of whom had paid €200 for the privilege, when he received an urgent telephone call. It was not a tip for the 4.30 race. It was the personal assistant to Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank. The minister was advised to expect an urgent message from the governor of the Irish Central Bank, John Hurley, later that afternoon.

The minister headed for the Gowran Park manager’s office and rang Hurley. Trichet had been in touch, warning of banks in trouble all over Europe.

The next morning, Sunday, 28 September, Lenihan slipped quietly into the Central Bank’s Dublin Dame Street headquarters to meet Hurley in his top-floor office. Hurley relayed a grim message from Trichet. European banks were in crisis.

The other thing we learnt from the programme is that there are no women in Irish life, journalistic, political or financial who can be interviewed in a ‘talking heads’ programme on the banking crisis.

The three female interviewees were based abroad- the French finance minister Christine Lagarde and Gillian Tett from the US office of the Financial Times and Pamela Woodall from the Economist. The other female voices present was footage of Eileen Dunne/Anne Doyle telling us about the chaos as it unfolded and female callers to Liveline. I didn’t keep count of all the male voices, but there were at least 15 of them.

Now if you have not read it already go read June Caldwell’s excellent post on the women who forgot to ruin Ireland.

Next week’s episode (yes there is more of it!) features Bertie saying he was told not to worry about the issues which led to the crash of the banks. Can’t wait! (pfft)

(apologies for that rather awkward screen shot of Mme Lagarde – I was not watching Freefall again online to do another prt scr)

(And for the many lovely lesbians who read this blog -  I know there are a few of ye – please read all the way to the end of this post – no switching off allowed!)

The Prevention Week is organised by the European Cervical Cancer Association (ECCA) and events will be taking place all over Europe to raise awareness about the disease.

The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has partnered with CervicalCheck, the National Cervical Screening Programme, to promote the week in Ireland and to ensure that Irish women become better informed about cervical cancer.

If you are out getting your hair done next week you may get information on cervical cancer from your hairdresser as the IFPA have partnered with the Irish Hairdressers Federation

All 330 member salons of the IHF will help distribute Pearl of Wisdom campaign badges and information leaflets about CervicalCheck, the national cervical screening service, to woman during their hair appointment for the duration of the Prevention Week. It is hope that women will be encouraged to make an appointment when invited by Cervicalcheck to organise their cervical smear test.

• Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women under 44 worldwide.

• Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under 44 in Ireland

• In Ireland 50% of all cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in women aged 46 and under. Average age of death from cervical cancer in Ireland is 56

• Mortality rates from cervical cancer have increased 1.5% per year since 1978.

I should also point out that finally lesbian women are being encouraged to have cervical smears, something that I’ve spoken about and campaigned for over 15 years. (Many doctors in Ireland had previously denied that lesbian women needed to have smear tests) There are to be a series of information sessions for lesbian women organised by Cervicalcheck and I’ll post a link to these when I get more information.

Guidelines on the issue of testing women who have sex with women/lesbians have been issued by Cervical Check.

4.3.9 Women who have sex with women (WSW)

Cervical screening recommendations do not differ for WSW/ lesbian women regardless of their history of sex with men. Cervical neoplasia and CIN lesions can be found in WSW who report no history of sex with men. Transmission of HPV requires only skin to skin contact. Furthermore sexual practices among WSW could potentially allow for intra-vaginal deposition of HPV both through digital-vaginal contact and shared sex aids. Studies show that most WSW (53-99 per cent) have had sex with men and that many (21-30 per cent) continue to have sex with men. Among these women, acquisition of HPV from male partners presumably occurs at a rate per contact similar to that of the heterosexual population. Women infected via this route could serve as a source for subsequent viral transmission to their female partners (Marrazzo et al, 2001).

So whomever you have sex with, or not,  smear tests for women are available and women are going to be invited to take them – we need to encourage each other to take up the appointments and make sure we get tested and look after ourselves. And we need to ensure the funding for the screening and the high standards remain in place.  All young women should be able to be vaccinated against HPV too, not just 12 year olds.

For a broadcaster so obsessed with equality this season’s show on TV3 has been marked by a lack of female guest on the first part of his programme on an average of 3 out of 4 shows per week.

This lack of female expert on the state of the nation has now been accompanied by a plethora of young female journalists appearing after the break to review the newspapers. There are no women in Ireland to discuss NAMA, national debt, public/private pay etc. etc. except for Joan Burton? (And absolutely no disrespect here to the Politician of Year 2009)

No feminist neurosis on #vinb because you can’t find a feminist.

Girl Talk starts broadcasting next Saturday.

The Apprentice’ star Jennifer Maguire, ‘Fair City’ actress Clelia Murphy, television presenter Geri Maye and ‘Gerry Ryan Show’ reporter Evelyn O’Rourke have launched a new radio talkshow together today.

The show, which was launched today in Dublin, is due to begin broadcasting on Saturday 7 November on RTÉ’s digital radio station RTÉ Choice.

Every week the show’s presenter Evelyn O’Rourke will be joined by a panel of female guests to discuss everything “from the real truth about labour pain to hiding the sneaky shopping bags from himself.”

Now you may think that I’d be only ecstatic at the thoughts of a programme on a station few can hear presented by some of RTE’s talented females. However it’s very clear from the blurb that this is not going to be positive discrimination and equality central. Doireann Ni Bhrian and Marian Finucane were the pioneers of broadcasting on women’s issues in Ireland in Women Today 30 years ago. (see some interesting photos of that programme on a great blog on Radio Eireann)

We’ve moved on so far (have we?) that we’re now going to be treated to a version of the Sunday Indo on the radio. And not a girl among them btw – girls are young females. But sure Women Talk would be far too political a statement would it – never mind a bit truthful? Maybe Ladies Talking will remind them too much about their actual ages. (I can’t stand the word Lady btw.) Interestingly enough last months feature on women in Irish radio in the RTE Guide (entitled Radio Gals…groan) doesn’t mention the programme or any of the presenters.

Perhaps they are trying to emulate Loose Women from ITV or have been watching the rubbish now all female (think that might stop them inviting me to appear on it again…phew) Midday Programme on TV3.

Novelist Amanda Brunker and journalist Larissa Nolan will also feature in the series.

Presenter Evelyn O’Rourke said: “Presenting the show is like going to a fabulous Hen party with a group of ladies who have strong opinions on anything and everything and aren’t afraid to share them.”

“Laughter, tears, arguments and revelations are all part and parcel of a normal ‘Girl Talk’ show.”

I’m all for new shows and innovative radio – RTE Radio 1′s programming for specialist sectors has been decimated in recent years. However I doubt we’ll be hearing much about women as carers, innovators, immigrant workers, pregnant women losing their jobs due to discrimination, symphysiotomies , older women and the role of women as grandparents in Ireland today. But I’m sure they’ll all be talking about kissing girls and liking it before running off to their boyfriends.

It’s a important development for the organisation with the site becoming the main source of information on their work and giving a profile for their many member organisations and campaigns.

They are also using online tools to communicate their messages and involve others in their work. Shh now but I do believe the f is going to be put back in feminist with regards to women’s rights campaigns and the policy work that NWCI are well known for is going to be accompanied by a new campaigning zeal!

Expect to see lots of blogging, twittering and the like in the months to come.  NWCI have a campaign running at the moment against cuts in child benefit and the many other cuts proposed in the McCarthy Report which no doubt will increase in volume between now and December 9th.  They are also asking you to spot the woman in Irish public life. I was doing a  bit of that myself watching Tonight with Vincent Browne last week – women were never the main guests only the paper reviewers. I also noted that Ann Marie Hourihane yesterday in the Irish Times pointed out that women in death are invisible.

I’m looking forward to the regular NWCI feature explaining what their member organisations do throughout the country and Longford Women’s Link are the first group to be profiled.

I was asked to write a guest blog post for NWCI’s new blog and have written on the subject of disability and care and the choice not to be cared for.

The keynote speakers will be Loretta Ross, SisterSong, USA and Dr Ruth Fletcher, Keele University.  A panel discussion chaired by Katherine O’Donnell from UCD will include inputs from Susan McKay from NWCI, Traveller and Disability Activist Rosaleen McDonagh, Senator Ivana Bacik and Aoife Dermody a member of Lash Back. 

There is also a film screening being held in the Lighthouse following the conference. 

If you are new to the term Reproductive Justice you probably are not new to the issues that the policy area/social movement covers. Reproductive Justice emerged from the African American women’s movement recognising that white middle class feminist campaigns solely focussed on abortion and access to abortion. Other women felt that there were issues which had to be included to recognise the needs of all women including the right to have a child, or not have children, healthier communities, safer and environmentally sustainable lives, economic justice etc.  Core to the examination of these issues are class, gender, ethnicity and disability and recognising the role that these play in women’s access to all the issues that concern having children or having control of our bodies.   Building solidarity and a movement that recognises this diversity and reality of women’s lives is as important to reproductive justice as the campaigns for better healthcare, better childcare and economic rights for women.

You can read more about the history of RJ here and watch Loretta Ross, one of the speakers at the seminar give a speech last year on the subject here and here.

Further information on next weeks seminar is available from the IFPA. I’m hoping to attend myself and write more on the issues explored.