Alliance MLA accuses civil servants of misogyny over exclusion of lobby groups from equality strategy process
An Alliance MLA has accused civil servants of “misogyny” over not including various lobby groups in the current stage of policy development being undertaken by the department of communities on issues such as gender equality.
In last week's communities committee, Kellie Armstrong also accused civil servants of failure to deliver on strategies that could “improve all of our lives” – and said officials are “discriminating against people”.
Her comments were made in a discussion about an end to ‘co-design’ groups, which had been working alongside officials in designing strategies on gender equality.
MLAs had heard frustrations from groups involved in the exercise, who had wanted to continue to input into the process. However, they were told by the Department of Communities that they were no longer required.
Addressing the women’s groups who were giving evidence, as well as the Rainbow Project, Mrs Armstrong said: “It breaks my heart to think that there are civil servants out there who are just passing paper around a table instead of actually getting on with strategies that can improve all of our lives.
“Because I know a lot of people think that the gender equality strategy is all about women.
“It's about improving lives across Northern Ireland, and the fact that we haven't had an appropriate use of Section 75 for years makes me furious.
“To be honest, it's an absolute waste of civil servants time telling us that they're not discriminating against people when they are. But you can tell I'm quite frustrated.
“I could do time because I know the amount of work that was put in in the last mandate, and all of that time for the community and voluntary sector to be told 'you're not needed anymore, we'll do it ourselves'. That's misogyny”.
The News Letter asked the Alliance Party if it stood over the allegations that civil servants are being misogynistic in their approach to policy development; and that civil servants are discriminating against people, particularly women. At the time of going to print there was no response.
The department was also asked for its view on the MLA’s comments, but had not responded at the time of going to print.