Tag Archives: women

Mary Mitchell O’Connor: System is letting down women – and their children

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The best possible nutritional option for a child in the first 1,000 days of their life is breast milk. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Department of Health both recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and up until two years in addition to the introduction of complementary solid foods.

Research has shown that breastfeeding for 26 weeks or more is associated with a 51pc reduction in the risk of obesity. Breastfeeding can also contribute to a lifetime of good health, helping to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and help stave off type-2 diabetes in later life.

Why then, when the benefits are so profound, are only 56pc of women currently initiating breastfeeding in Ireland? This compares poorly when considered against other European countries. Figures from the UK suggest that 81pc of mothers initiate breastfeeding there. This figure soars to above 90pc in most Scandinavian states (ESRI, 2012).

The number of mothers exclusively breastfeeding upon discharge from hospital in Ireland is only 46pc. And this falls to 22.7pc by the time infants are three months old.

With the majority of women leaving hospital within three days of giving birth, why are the rates of breastfeeding within that timeframe falling by 10pc? Why do they fall again so quickly within the first three months?

Obviously, the level of support required for new mothers is simply not being provided. What is needed is both emotional and practical support. While the benefits of breastfeeding are clear, it is also known to be difficult and challenging – particularly when dealing with all the other emotions and physical challenges presented immediately following the birth of a child.

A focused response to help increase initial initiation rates is needed as well as a programmatic approach to helping promote, support and encourage mothers who start the process to keep it up for as long as possible.

Research indicates that in order for mothers to be successful at breastfeeding, many support structures are necessary for both initiation and duration. Additional education and public information programmes to highlight the profound impact that breastfeeding will have on the the long-term health of your child is the first step.

Outside of that, we need lactation experts within the hospital system as well as amongst the public health community – visiting our new mothers and being available to give them the immediate help that they need during those difficult first days and weeks.

Public health nurses, practice nurses, GPs and community support groups must provide practical support on preparing and initiating breastfeeding. All healthcare professionals in contact with expectant mothers should provide information on the benefits of breastfeeding and offer practical advice on preparing to breastfeed. By planning ahead, the likelihood of success is increased dramatically.

The length of maternity leave that a woman takes is a major determinant of how long women will breastfeed. Returning to work part time increases the risk of stopping breastfeeding by 150pc, while returning full time increases the risk by 230pc. Employers need to be aware of the best practice guidelines developed by the Department of Health and ensure they do what they can to facilitate mothers who wish to continue to breastfeed.

See www.breastfeeding.ie and www.who.int for support and further information on breastfeeding.

Irish Independent

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/mary-mitchell-oconnor-system-is-letting-down-women-and-their-children-29709871.html

Our Constitution must not pigeon hole women

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Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire TD, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has said that our Constitution must not pigeon hole women into a particular role. Deputy Mitchell O’Connor was speaking in the Dáil this week on the recommendations put forward by the Constitutional Convention on the Article 41.2 of the Constitution, which refers to the role of women in the home.

 

“As a mother of two, who has worked both inside and outside the home, I take particular issue with the specific reference in our Constitution to a mother’s ‘duties in the home’. I have a huge amount of respect for women who work full time in the home, just as I have huge respect for those who work full time outside the home. But our Constitution should not pigeon hole women into one particular role.

 

“Gender roles have changed greatly in Ireland in recent decades, and I believe this change should be reflected in our Constitution. Article 41.2 enforces a sexist view of women, which does not give recognition to the reality of modern families, where caring in the home is shared by mother and fathers, grandparents and others.

 

“Women account for 47% of the Irish workforce. And just over half of women with children are in employment. We should not stand over a situation where women in the workforce are defined as neglecting their duties at home. This places an unfair societal stigma on working women.

 

“Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg put it well when she said that most people assume that women are responsible for household chores and child care, and this fundamental assumption is holding women back. We must ensure that our Constitution does not contain a fundamental assumption that holds Irish women back.

 

“It is particularly appropriate that we would discuss this topic today on the UN International Day of the Girl, which aims to support millions of girls around the world to get the education, skills and support they need to transform their lives. Ireland should strive not only to address the plight of women in the developed world, but to lead by example here at home.

 

“I strongly support the recommendation that any change to Article 41.2 should be gender neutral, and rather than just referring to women it should instead refer to ‘carers in the home’ and ‘carers beyond the home’. Although research shows that the majority of carers are women, our Constitution should not promote a narrow view by defining this as an exclusively female role.

 

“Our Constitution must reflect the realities of a modern Ireland. It should not enforce stereotypical roles on either gender, and instead should be a document that we can look to with confidence to guide generations to come. I look forward to further progressing the report from the Constitutional Convention.”

 

ENDS

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Annual Report welcome but stats unlikely to reflect true scale of the problem – Mitchell O’Connor

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An updated SAVI report could give us a better understanding of sexual abuse in Ireland allowing for better policy formation down the line

Speaking following her attendance at the launch of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s Annual Report 2012 this morning (Wednesday), Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, said the statistics contained in the report, while shocking, may not accurately reflect the true scale of the sexual abuse being experienced by the men and women of Ireland.

Deputy Mitchell O’Connor said that an updated SAVI Report, which the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s (DRCC) has said it would welcome, could give us a more accurate picture of the type of sexual crime that is being perpetrated across the country, and who the perpetrators are.

“The launch of the DRRC Annual Report this morning makes for stark reading. The fact that there has been an increase of 23% in first time callers to the National 24 Hour Helpline between 2009 and 2012 indicates the importance of the work being undertaken by the Centre, which offers a vital service to victims in need of support.

“The sad fact remains, however, that the number of those who seek help from the DRRC is likely to be just a fraction of those who have actually experienced sexual abuse and disclosed it accordingly. The SAVI (Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland) Report in 2002, which interviewed more than 3,000 randomly selected Irish adults anonymously, was thought to more accurately reflect the real prevalence of the sexual abuse being experienced in Ireland.

“The study, which was first proposed by the DRCC and was supported by Atlantic Philanthropies and additional Government funding, confirmed that a staggering amount of sexual abuse was going undisclosed, with 47% of those reporting abuse in SAVI never having told another person.

“One of the points made at this morning’s briefing was the fact that the disclosure notes that are taken by counsellors at the DRCC during the reporting of a crime could be acting as a dissuasive factor in men and women reporting crimes as often these notes are called on during court proceedings at a later date.

“It is also believed that following on from the Ferns, Ryan, Murphy and Cloyne Reports more people are coming forward to report abuse. It is essential that we lift the lid on sexual abuse in Ireland and put the systems in place to encourage victims to report crimes. The SAVI Report gave us a much greater understanding of the type of abuse being perpetrated in Ireland, who was being abused and who the perpetrators of abuse were. If we want to formulate policy to discourage sexual abuse, to better understand the nature of sexual violence in Ireland and to support the victims of abuse we need to have an accurate picture of what we are dealing with. Another SAVI Report would give us that view and point the best way forward in dealing with sexual crimes.”

Mary Mitchell O’Connor
Wednesday, 24th July 2013

 

Quotas are regrettable but necessary

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Speaking on the Electoral Amendment Bill in the Dáil this evening (Wednesday), Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, said that the introduction of electoral gender quotas are a regrettable but necessary measure needed to address the gender balance in political life.

Speaking during the Dáil debate, Deputy Mitchell O’Connor quoted Vivienne Reding, the EU Justice Commissioner, who is planning to legislate for female quotas on private sector boards throughout Europe, as saying ‘I’m not a great fan of quotas…but I like the results quotas bring about’; a sentiment that the Dun Laoghaire Deputy agrees with.

“The only thing quotas have going for them is that they work. They change the context in which we live, especially when that’s in a limiting or discriminatory context.

“We could be waiting decades before parliaments, which are heavily tilted towards male representation, come anywhere near equal representation. We can wait it out over several generations or we can shout stop, introduce a quota system which we maybe do not like but that we know will work.

“In more than fifty countries throughout the world, quotas stipulate that a certain number of political party candidates for election must be women. In fact, the majority of countries with more than 30% female representation in parliament have implemented quotas.

“The reality is that waiting for political parties to see the light and promote more women into the parliamentary ranks doesn’t really work. Putting a quota in place does. A generation ago, equality laws were introduced with the result that a steady stream of women entered into third level education, into professions like medicine and into business.

“The current situation is due to inertia, which is the biggest speed-bump along the road of women’s progress. Quotas will eradicate inertia and allow a wider choice at election time. In short, quotas will represent a major last step towards acknowledging the equality of half of our population.”

International Women’s Day presents opportunity to highlight domestic violence

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Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has today (Thursday) said that International Women’s Day not only gives us a chance to celebrate women’s social, economic and political achievements, it also presents us with an opportunity to look at how we are providing for those suffering domestic violence.

“International Women’s Day offers us a chance to reflect on the contribution women make to public life and life in general. Sadly, it also is a time to reflect on the number of women who are suffering at the hands of abusive partners.

“Safe Ireland launched their One Day Census of Domestic Violence Services 2011 today in a bid to highlight the plight of the victims of domestic abuse. The census found that on one particular day (4th of November 2011), 770 women and children received support from a domestic violence service. The other findings include the fact that on this day:

    • 127 help line calls were received;
    • 499 women and children were living in a refuge or supported housing;
    • 10 women could not be accommodated in refuge because there was not enough room;
    • 10 women receiving support were known to be pregnant and
    • 11 women who received support were over 65 years of age.


“These figures demonstrate the prevalence of domestic violence in Ireland today, which undoubtedly portrays a depressing picture. However, they are encouraging to some degree in that they illustrate that the social stigma around domestic violence has eased somewhat and that women are taking back control of their lives and seeking support.

“In days gone by, many women would have feared seeking help due to fears of condemnation from their families and local communities. Our ability and willingness to empathise and care for others has thankfully evolved.

“I have continually raised women’s issues in the Dáil and throughout my political career. The gender pay imbalance and lack of women being appointed to senior positions in business and on State boards are two of the issues I have attempted to shine a light on. Domestic violence is, however, the issue that is closest to my heart.

“Ireland has 20 refuge centres with a total of 144 beds, meeting only a third of the Council of Europe requirements; an issue that needs to be addressed. I will be working with my colleagues in Government to ensure that the issue of domestic abuse against women, and men, is brought out into the open and that adequate resources are put in place to deal with it.”

Time to redress the gender pay gap balance

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Steps taken to increase women’s representation in the Dáil, now time to look at the world of business

Speaking following the publication of an EU Commission study which suggests that Irish women are earning less than their male counterparts, Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, said steps are being taken to increase female representation in the Dáil but discrimination persists in the business world.

“In the world of politics and business, women are seriously underrepresented. In the Dáil, we are outnumbered six to one and in the world of business it is estimated that we make up just 8% of senior positions on Irish listed companies.

“It is absurd to think that in this day and age, women are being undervalued in the workplace to such an extent. This study suggests that women in their 20s in Ireland are earning roughly 10% less than men, with this pay gap widening the older we get.

“Though there are many contributing factors at play here, the fact that women are the primary care givers in Irish society means that we are often overlooked for more senior roles in favour of men. Until this issue is properly addressed, these problems will persist.

“The Minister for the Environment is legislating to ensure a greater number of female candidates are put forward at election time, giving the electorate a fairer and more balanced choice of who represents them in the Dáil. We must now examine the best way to redress this balance in the private sector.

“In Norway in 2003, sanctions were imposed on companies that failed to ensure 40% female representation on corporate boards. This system worked well and resulted in female representation going from 15.9% to the targeted 40% four years later. If we are serious about increasing female representation and bridging the gender pay gap, careful consideration must be given to proposals such as this. We must also address the deficiencies that exist in childcare provision and in making the workplace more child friendly.

“Women make up half the population and should be treated equally to men. Attempts are being made to redress the gender balance in the Dáil, the Government now needs to examine the best way forward for the world of business.”