Department of Justice and Equality publishes National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020

3rd May 2017

IPRT welcomes the publication of the government’s National Strategy for Women and Girls 2017-2020, 3rd May 2017. The strategy aims to address the institutionalised inequalities that exist between men and women in Ireland. The strategy’s goal is to increase the visibility of the voices of women in decision-making and to improve the conditions for women of all backgrounds.

Key commitments made in the Strategy which IPRT welcomes include:

• Overall commitment by Government Departments, State Agencies and partners to implement the Joint Probation Service Irish Prison Service Strategy: an Effective Response to Women Who Offend 2014-2016.
• Implementation of recommendations made by the Penal Policy Review Group in order to address the ‘improved health, wellbeing and rehabilitation of women offenders.’ (see page 46)
• Implementation of recommendations made by the Strategic Review Group of Penal Policy in respect of women (sub-actions 15, 18, 21-25) relating to improving the standard of female accommodation in Limerick Prison. Further commitments as set out by the Penal Policy Review Group include: conducting further research into the particular needs of female offenders and the reasons behind the growth in use of imprisonment for women; the use of gender-appropriate community sanctions; promoting greater contact between offenders and their children and family members; greater use of supported and structured temporary release; access to rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, and development of alternative sanctions to imprisonment.
• Commitment by the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service to open a step-down facility by the first quarter of 2018 for women leaving prison.

Read the Strategy here.