Banúlacht’s history

Banúlacht was founded in 1990 in order to promote analysis of local and global development issues among women in Ireland, from a gender and human rights perspective.

The organisation was established by a network of women’s community based organisations and development agencies, with two aims:

(1) raising awareness of the links between the issues and situations affecting women in the South, the strategies of women’s organisations and networks in the South, and the women’s sector in Ireland

(2) lobbying for the implementation of human rights and gender equality commitments and EU and Irish policy levels.

Our work uses the UN framework of human rights addresses systemic and structural discrimination against women and proposes strategies for the advancement of women. We also draw on the EU policy framework we draw on are the regulations and treaties committing members states to a gender perspective in their overseas development policies and programmes:

Banúlacht was established as a network of women from a range of organisations working on development cooperation and community development. Members of the Steering Group participated as part of their gender policy work for their own organisations, and this gave us a high degree of visibility and support.

In 1994 that structure changed to one of individual membership. The decision was taken in the context of the International Population and Development in Cairo, in order to allow Banúlacht to develop an independent policy on reproductive rights.

Ten years later, at Banúlacht’s 2004 AGM, the constitution was changed again in order to allow for individual and organisational membership. We spent two years working on the new structures. In particular we decided that it was important to have a statement of ‘feminist principles’ to clarify our position and aims. Membership of the organisation will be open to those who support these principles. This is also a strategy designed to ensure that our members will be those who agree with the principle of women only spaces and a feminist understanding of human rights.