On 10 June, researchers, policymakers and civil society representatives from across the island of Ireland gathered at the NUI offices on Merrion Square for a roundtable discussion on gendered aspects of political violence (GAPV) and violence against women in politics (VAWP).
Organised by Dr Lisa Keenan (TCD) and Dr Fiona Buckley (UCD), the event forms part of the Chr. Michelsen Institute's (CMI) cross-national Cost of Doing Politics project, which examines gendered political violence in comparative perspective.
Professor Mona Lena Krook (Rutgers University), a member of the project's Advisory Board, presented her current research on the nature of gendered political violence and its threat to democratic life.
Discussion focused on the prevalence of political violence in the Republic of Ireland, its effects on women's participation, and the preventive and protective measures needed to make politics safe for everyone. Participants also reflected on progress in implementing the recommendations of the Oireachtas Task Force on Safe Participation in Political Life (2024) and the urgency of keeping this issue on the agenda to safeguard democratic resilience.
Organisations including Women for Election, See Her Elected, the National Women's Council, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Traveller Women's Forum and Akina Dada wa Africa (AkiDwA) took part in the discussion.
Explore the research summary in the slides below.
