Open Consultations: The Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill The Education Committee is welcoming views on the contents of The Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill. This is a Private Members Bill from Danny Baker of Sinn Fein. It seeks to restore the ‘Holiday Hunger’ payments which were made to those entitled to Free School Meals during […]
The latest Consortium research paper ‘Mental Health Matters for Women’ has now been published and is available on the Consortium’s website. The full report contains a wealth of evidence from women on the contributory factors to their poor mental health, the impact of poor mental health on their lives and the supports they need and […]
This blog was originally posted on the WRDA website. The young mums MAS project is a peer support group, designed for young mums aged 16-25years old. Many of the young woman who come to young mums MAS group have high levels of maternal mental health needs. Most of the young mums have Adverse Childhood Experiences […]
The Women’s Regional Consortium is pleased to publish our latest research report, Mental Health Matters for Women. You can read the full report here, and a summary of the report here. Northern Ireland has long been associated with high levels of poor mental health with around one in five adults showing signs of mental health problems. […]
We are so happy that the long awaited mother and baby unit is happening and has been confirmed by the Health minister. The site at the City Hospital was announced in November 2023 so we are delighted that it has finally been confirmed that this work will go ahead. Now mums who need to be […]
Please join Women’s Spaces for their end of year conference focusing on realising rights for Women in Northern Ireland, on Tuesday 19 May in the Guildhall in Derry at 11am – 2pm. They will be joined by experts and policy makers from the women’s sector to discuss and engage with women about issues that affect […]
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has launched a public consultation on a new draft long-term rural policy. NIRWN members and staff have already attended in person consultation events. We would encourage you to register for the online consultation event which takes place on Monday 18th May 2026 (7pm to 8pm). For further details on the consultation […]
The WSN Policy Worker, Siobhán Harding, has completed a series of focus groups with women across Northern Ireland for the next Consortium research paper ‘Mental Health Matters for Women’. The focus groups involved 67 women in total and 60 women completed questionnaire returns. The aim of the research was to highlight a number of areas: […]
This document, Strength and Solidarity: Climate and Civil Food Resilience, highlights the urgent need for the UK government and civil society to develop civil food resilience as part of the necessary preparation for climate change and an increasingly insecure world. The guide takes a hopeful, can-do approach by providing practical steps for individuals and communities as […]
NIRWN would encourage you to have your say on how rural policy is delivered for the next 15 years. We know you have plenty of views, experience and ideas. Policy only has the impact we hope for when it is shaped by those with lived experience. If you live or work in rural areas your […]
