"A Strong Woman Stands Up for Herself. A Stronger Woman Stands Up for Everybody Else"

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COVID-19 has put a stop to many things this year. One thing still very much on the calendar, however, is International Women's Day. This worldwide event celebrates women's achievements and calls for gender equality.

The Carson Project, based in the Harryville area of Ballymena, held their annual event online this year.

Ronda Rainey, the project worker, said, “This is our fourth year hosting the International Woman’s day event, and over the last two years, we have had the event funded through St Stephen’s Green Trust Fund. I would like to take this chance to thank everyone involved in making the event such a success, particularly Bebhinn McKinley, who kindly delivered this year’s inspirational presentation. We have been delighted to be able to deliver another successful event this year, albeit virtually through Zoom, and we look forward to hosting another next year, hopefully in person.”

The event attracted a good turnout, with women attending from across Mid and East Antrim and the wider Northern area.

The keynote speaker, Bebhinn McKinley, gave a talk that looked at the contribution women have made locally and globally to their community.

She shared her insights into women's roles in peacebuilding, from the founding of Women Together and the Peace Women to the contributions of Sadie Patterson, Avila Killmurray, May Blood, and Baroness O'Loan. She also touched on the role of Betty Bigombe, a Ugandan mediator who played a key role in conflict resolution and humanitarian efforts in northern Uganda, who she recently met through her role as a member of Women Mediators Across the Commonwealth.

Bebhinn reflected on how each of these women has influenced their community's development and peacebuilding involvement through their stories, strength, and courage. She noted the fact that we have many local examples of phenomenal women active in supporting and enabling peace in Northern Ireland, but they have largely remained invisible. She concluded by highlighting the need for women's contributions to be more widely recognised and a need for more informal spaces where women can come together to support each other, learn from each other, and create opportunities for mentoring younger women.

Reflecting on the occasion, Bebhinn told us, “This event had a really positive outcome with those in attendance encouraged to further the discussion within their wider communities and to look at ways to engage others and encourage succession planning.”

Gillian Forrest from Supporting Communities congratulated Ronda and the Carson Project for facilitating such an inspiring event.

“For me and my colleagues working across Northern Ireland, it has been heartening to see so many women actively engaging in their communities, providing support and leadership,” she said. “This has been particularly evident during this pandemic. International Women’s Day provides a place for women to discuss and showcase the contributions made by so many of us!”

Gillian also thanked Bebhinn for her inspirational presentation saying, "I hope everyone who came will be inspired to get involved in community life - there are so many opportunities just waiting for you."