Seminar
Event

Reflections on Belfast/Good Friday Agreement: Seminar Series Programme. Wednesday 7 June 2023 Seminar 5 - Reflections on Belfast/Good Friday Agreement & Gender

Northern Ireland Assembly RaISe

NI Assembly RaISe

This is a free event
Get ready to immerse yourself in a thought-provoking seminar series as we reflect on the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement's 25th anniversary. The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, along with the Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISe) and local universities, will lead the discussions. Our academic presenters will share insights from their areas of expertise and explore key themes, including power-sharing, the economy, reconciliation, rights, and gender. After each presentation, we'll open the floor to discussion. These seminars are open to everyone, so secure your seat as soon as possible. The series will run from the end of April through early June 2023 on specified Wednesdays, starting at 1:30pm. We'll be hosting the events in the Senate Chamber of Parliament Buildings, located on Stormont Estate. Please be aware that Parliament Buildings is a public building, and there may be photography, filming, and recording in its public spaces. Don't worry; we'll be recording all the presentations, but not the group discussions. If you prefer to sit away from the camera, just let us know. Free parking is available, but make sure you give yourself enough time to walk from the car park and pass through Assembly Security before entering Parliament Buildings. We're committed to fulfilling our responsibilities to those with special needs, including wheelchair accessibility. Please let us know if you have any specific requirements when registering. To secure your spot at these insightful seminars, please register at RaISeCSU@niassembly.gov.uk.

Wednesday, 7 June 2023

Seminar 5 - Reflections on Belfast/Good Friday Agreement & Gender

1.30pm Registration upon arrival at Senate Chamber

1.45pm Welcome & Housekeeping – Stephen Orme, RaISe

1.50pm “Gender Equality post the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement: the journey so far and ways forward" - Professor Ann Marie Gray, Ulster University

The Belfast/Good Friday Agreement provided some optimism for the prospect of greater gender equality in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition had ensured that the Agreement included a list of rights, including a right to equal opportunity and “the right of women to full and equal political participation” in particular. Potential for transforming gender relations also was enshrined in Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, a progressive and far-reaching equality duty; codified to help deliver equality for women and other protected sectoral groups. This presentation examines social and public policy priorities and outcomes, to reflect on the state of gender equality in Northern Ireland 25 years after the signing of the Agreement. It considers: how is the concept of equality understood and operationalised in policy making?; where has there been progress and what factors have inhibited progress towards gender equality?; and, what needs to happen to secure a more gender equal society in future? 

2:10pm “Gendering Bureaucratic Discretion post-Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in the Senior Northern Ireland Civil Service“ - Dr Michelle Rouse, Ulster University

Bureaucratic discretion plays a central role in public policy decision-making and resource allocation. Within the context of Northern Ireland post-Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, this presentation considers who and what the Senior Northern Ireland Civil Service represents when it exercises such discretion. Drawing on primary research undertaken between 2017-2020, the presentation examines core public service values, considering: whether those values are mediated by organisational culture and practice?; whether there are any institutional legacies and/or new adaptive practices arising from the administration of power-sharing?; and, whether and how those legacies and/or practices impact gender equality and redistributive public policy?

2.30pm Discussion/Question & Answer

3.15pm Closing Remarks – Stephen Orme, RaISe

3:20pm Refreshments & Networking

3.40pm Close

Date and Time

  • -

Location

Parliament Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3XX
United Kingdom

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Contact Details

RaISeCSU@niassembly.gov.uk

More Information

https://www.gfa25.com/lectures