Policy and advocacy

Policy work

At the heart of Banúlacht’s work is the link between research, policy and training. While awareness raising and confidence-building are valuable in their own right, our ultimate goal is to provide the tools for groups to use in lobbying to bring about change and work towards gender equality. Training is one of the ways we disseminate research findings. But the participants’ findings and analysis also inform and refine Banúlacht’s policy work and research, and their perspectives are reflected in our policy submissions on economic themes.

Policy is developed through our own research, and is informed by that of other feminist organisations, in particular organisations in the South, as well as by a process of dialogue with Banúlacht’s members and the broader women’s and development sectors through consultation and training. We contribute to wider debate on gender and development, trade and human rights by disseminating policy and awareness raising material, by engaging with the media and participating in conferences and other fora. We promote, debate and raise awareness of international human rights frameworks as strategies both to provide concrete tools and forums for organising, and to catalyse lobbying by the women's sector for the creation of mechanisms for greater local, national, regional and international accountability.

Participation in UN and other international conferences

• The Sixth Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade Organisation, Hong Kong December 2005 The 33rd session of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, New York, July 2005 (Banúlacht board member, Margaret Tumelty addressed the Committee on behalf of Irish NGOs)
   
• The 49th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) Beijing+10, the White Paper on Development Cooperation and the Millennium Summit, New York March 2005 (participation of two Banúlacht representatives as NGO advisors on the government delegation).
   
• The UN Economic Commission for Europe preparatory meeting (UNECE) for Beijing + 10 (participation of Banúlacht representative as NGO advisors on the government delegation).
   
• The quadrennial session of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XI), (participation of Banúlacht representative as NGO advisors on the government delegation).
   
• The Beijing+5 Review 2000
   
• The Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 1995 (participation of two Banúlacht representatives as NGO advisors on the government delegation).
   
• The International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 1994 (participation of two Banúlacht representatives as NGO advisors on the government delegation).

Written submissions

We have made submissions in relation to the following:

• Draft Outcomes text for the Millennium Summit 2005
• White Paper on Development 2005
• National Trade Policy Statement 2004 UNCTAD XI meeting 2004
• UNECE preparatory conference for Beijing+10 2004
• National Plan for Women 2002
• Ireland Aid Review 2001
• Beijing+5 Review 2000

In 2001 we produced the discussion paper ‘Gender and Trade Links’ and a primer ‘Looking at Trade Through Women’s Eyes’.

In 2002 we carried out a piece of research to map the needs and explore links with women from the South living in Ireland.