Marie Moore to open Women's Conference
BY KIERAN CLIFFORD
Marie Moore, the first ever Sinn Féin Deputy Mayor of Belfast, will be a featured speaker at Sinn Féin's National Women's Conference this Saturday, 13 November, at the Regency Airport Hotel in Dublin. The conference, themed Women's Priorities in the New Millennium and sponsored by the Sinn Féin National Women's Forum, will kick off at 9:45am with Moore's opening remarks.
As a member of Belfast City Council for the last seven years, Moore has made women's issues, housing, unemployment and urban regeneration the main staples of her work to secure positive and lasting change in the city.
At the age of six, Marie Moore (née Gilmore), was used, along with her grandfather, as a human shield by RUC Constables in their pursuit of Tom Williams at Easter 1942. Later on, she became heavily involved in efforts to secure better housing for nationalists and in the broader civil rights struggle.
Along with Rita O'Hare, Marie was involved in drafting the first Sinn Féin Women's Document.
Moore worked as Constituency Secretary for West Belfast during Gerry Adams' first term as MP and in her role as City Councillor has been at the forefront in battling discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation. Nearly six months into her one year term as Deputy Mayor and with a long road ahead in terms of equitable representation of women in politics in Ireland, Marie Moore has made lasting contributions to furthering the participation of women in politics.
As the first Sinn Féin Deputy Mayor of Belfast, Marie Moore has opened the corridors of City Hall to the nationalist community as never before. Her tenure has prompted a decisive change in mindset as the nationalist people have come to recognise their rightful place in the workings of their local government.
She has taken part in current efforts to draw nationalist women together and to educate men on the issues women face before they can, as women and mothers, take up the role of activist. She is also working to put systems in place to further facilitate the participation of women in politics and community development.
But she has also highlighted the continuing obstacles faced by women today to full engagement as political activists. She says that now, more than ever, there is a critical need for decent, reliable childcare, education and support systems aimed at single-parent families and a need for a greater understanding of the economic and logistical problems facing women activists.
The Sinn Féin conference will also feature a keynote address by Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams as well as lectures and workshops led by members of the Sinn Féin National Women's Forum and representatives from Positive Action (Hepatitis C Campaign), the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the Irish Family Planning Association, the Combat Poverty Agency, the Victims and Survivors of State Violence Group (North Belfast), the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition and the Ormeau Road Residents' Coalition.
The conference is open to the public and all women and men working to effect positive social change in Ireland are encouraged to attend. Further information on the conference can be obtained from Sinn Féin Head Office at Dublin 8726100.
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