There’s no room for sexist language in our Constitution – it’s time for major change to offensive text
TOMORROW is International Women’s Day.
The theme for this year’s event is DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.
The UN Women’s global day will explore the impact of the digital gender gap on widening economic and social inequalities.
Some 37 per cent of women do not use the internet and 259million fewer women have access to the internet than men, despite accounting for nearly half of the world’s population.
Last year, an Oireachtas Joint Committee on gender equality published a report on methods of “achieving a gender equal Ireland,” which included recommendations on how articles of the Constitution could be rewritten.
Here, Ivana Bacik, Labour leader and the Committee’s Chairperson, tells The Irish Sun it is time to remove sexist language from the Constitution.
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AS we approach International Women’s Day, we recall and celebrate the achievements of the feminist movement in progressing gender equality in Ireland.
From achieving paid maternity leave to securing the right to vote, and from lifting the marriage bar to repealing the Eighth Amendment, lots has been achieved.
The Labour movement has been proud to fight for those historic wins. But the equality agenda is far from complete. Further constitutional change is needed to right some of these wrongs.
There should be no room for sexist language in our Constitution.
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It is time to delete text which refers exclusively to women and mothers as having a “life” and “duties” within in the home. Changing this offensive text will be of symbolic value in terms of moving away from the Ireland of old, in which women were subjugated by the State, and its institutions. This country has benefited immensely from women who worked hard at home, and from those who achieved greatness outside of it too.
The Constitution must also recognise the value of all caregivers. As such, the Committee proposed replacing the current text of Article 41.2.1 to: “The State recognises that care within and outside the home and Family gives to the State a support without which the common good cannot be achieved.”
Whether we realise it, care work is a part of all our lives, at every stage of life. We all give or receive care from someone at some stage. Whether that is full-time care for a loved one with an illness or disability, domestic work like cooking or cleaning, or rearing a family — without care, our society could not function.
Care is work, and it should be valued and shared equally. The current text of Article 41 of the Constitution does not recognise the various forms of care — both inside and outside the home, both paid and unpaid, and carried out by men and women — that is so valuable and indeed, essential to Irish society.
Our report also recommended the adoption of a more inclusive definition of “family”, in recognition of the many diverse forms of family which exist in Ireland today.
'RESTRICITIVE DEFINITION'
The restrictive definition which is in place now has exacerbated the different entitlements for married and unmarried cohabiting partners, and their children.
Many people do not realise that the need to change the Constitution is for socio-economic reasons, as well as just having a symbolic value. All families should be recognised and protected, not just those based on marriage.
The work on this has already been done. Our Committee has produced the exact wording of the questions to be put to the people. All the Government must do now is call a date, and to give people a chance to have their say.
International Women’s Day is as good a day as any to announce a date and that is our call. We in Labour will continue to push for constitutional change, as well as for the implementation of the other recommendations of the Gender Equality Committee.
It's Dail We Want
THIS is what Dail Eireann should look like, campaigners say as the drive for a 50/50 gender balance begins.
The Houses of the Oireachtas held a special service yesterday, chaired by Senator Fiona O’Loughlin, to promote a more diverse and representative parliament and to mark a defining moment on the journey to equal representation in politics.
Just 36 women are among the current 160 TDs.