The Rainbow Project’s Policy, Campaigns and Communications Manager, Alexa Moore, described the failure to progress both the Gender Equality Strategy and the LGBTQI+ Strategy as a ‘missed opportunity’ to ensure equality across Government and society in Northern Ireland.Â
She gave evidence on Thursday 13th March alongside a delegation from the Women’s Policy Group, led by Women’s Sector Lobbyist Elaine Crory, alongside Alexandra Brennan from the Women’s Budget Group and Clare Moore from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
The evidence session focused on the Communities Minister’s refusal to bring forward the Gender Equality Strategy or LGBTQIA+ Strategy, instead opting only to progress the Disability Strategy and Anti-Poverty Strategy.Â
They raised a range of issues, focusing on the Gender Equality Strategy but emphasising the importance of how all of the Strategies promised in the New Decade New Approach Agreement were designed to work in concert, with many cross-cutting recommendations and actions.Â
Alexa raised the lack of LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the Programme for Government and gaps in data collection for sexual orientation and gender identity on some of the Executive’s priority issues. She also raised key issues relevant to both the LGBTQI+ Strategy and the Gender Equality Strategy including access to IVF, exploring how these Strategies were designed to be brought forward together.Â
Watch the full session above, or check out our Instagram for some highlights from the session.Â