7th March 2025
The INTO marks International Women’s Day, Saturday 8 March, by reaffirming its unwavering commitment to gender equality, both for its predominantly female membership and the girls in our schools. The theme of International Women’s Day 2025 is ‘Accelerate Action’.
The INTO welcomed the opportunity earlier this week to participate in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration & Youth (DCEDIY) consultation on the next National Strategy for Women and Girls, which was addressed by Minister Norma Foley. A comprehensive written submission, outlining the organisation’s key priorities, is available on the INTO website here.
These priorities include the empowerment of marginalised girls, increased participation in STEM fields, improved work-life balance for women, enhanced supports for women in leadership positions, and improved female-related health supports. The INTO believes that a strong national strategy will be crucial in creating a society where all women and girls can thrive.
This week, the INTO also attended the launch of the Report of the Women’s Assembly on future of the island of Ireland. Chaired by Mary Mc Aleese, the Women’s Assembly has been a significant initiative focused on ensuring that women’s voices are central to discussions about the island’s future. As an all-island teacher trade union, the INTO is confident that the outcomes of the assembly will bolster our efforts north and south by providing a gender-informed framework for policy advocacy, addressing regional inequalities, promoting inclusive education practices, strengthening cross-border collaboration, and empowering female teachers and the girls that they teach.
Recognising gender-based violence as a critical challenge for women, the INTO is actively working with the broader trade union movement to raise awareness and drive change. This includes participation in the Men’s Network White Ribbon Programme, which aims to foster inclusive trade unions and workplaces free from DSGBV. Members interested in marching against gender violence on Saturday, are encouraged to join the ROSA Socialist Feminist Movement’s demonstration at 1pm at City Hall, Dublin.
Also this week, Deirdre O’Connor, Deputy General Secretary, will attend the United Nations Council on the Status of Women (UNCSW69) as part of the Education International and International Trade Union Confederation delegation. The trade union delegation will advocate for the Beijing+30 Declaration, which will be issued at the start of the meeting, to support the workers’ call for a New Social Contract rooted in a gender-transformative agenda, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and based on an intersectional approach. This is to address the need to dismantle persistent structural barriers faced by women at the intersections of class, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and migrant, indigenous and disability status, and to address the needs of those who have already been left behind. Deirdre will engage with union members from across the globe, listening to their stories. More info.
INTO President Carmel Browne said:
Ahead of International Women’s Day, the INTO is as dedicated as ever to ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to reach her full potential and that the INTO’s female-strong membership experiences equality and respect in the workplace. The work we are doing on the National Strategy for Women and Girls, as well as our participation in the Women’s Assembly, and the White Ribbon Programme, demonstrates our multifaceted approach to addressing the challenges women face.