Minister Colm Brophy briefs UN on Ireland’s progress on women’s issues
- Published on: 20 June 2025
- Last updated on: 23 June 2025
Minister Colm Brophy, Minister of State for Migration today briefed the UN Committee on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) on Ireland’s recent achievements on women’s equality.
Minister Brophy said:
"Ireland has achieved a remarkable transformation on women’s equality over the past decade. I had the opportunity today to inform the UN CEDAW Committee about the progress made since Ireland last appeared with this expert group in 2017."
These achievements include:
- ramping up Ireland’s annual investment in childcare to €1.37 billion, a 200% increase since Ireland last appeared before the CEDAW Committee in 2017
- instituting landmark reforms to Ireland’s structures for combating domestic, sexual and gender-based violence through Zero Tolerance: the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence and launching Cuan, a new statutory agency in 2024 to implement the Strategy and to coordinate services
- securing business sector buy-in through the Balance for Better Business initiative to promote better gender balance on corporate boards – Ireland has gone from 18% female representation on publicly listed boards in 2018 to 40% and now ranks 6th in the EU
- introducing a range of leave entitlements – 9 weeks of Parent’s Leave for each parent of a child under 2, Domestic Violence Leave, paid Sick Leave - as well as the right to request flexible working so to support parents and carers in the workplace
- making free contraception, IVF and HRT available to women through increased investment in women’s health
Minister Brophy added:
"The government plans an ambitious programme of action to promote women’s equality. Today’s appearance before the CEDAW Committee has given me the opportunity to put on the record the landmark achievements of the past eight years. Much has been achieved already, and I look forward to hearing the Committee’s observations on the issues that they view as important. I would like to acknowledge the support provided today by government departments and agencies for today’s appearance and the contributions made by Irish civil society organisations to the process."