Northern Ireland’s Women’s Coalition: institutionalizing a political voice and ensuring representation Kate Fearon (2002) In a politically and socially divided society, a group of Northern Irish women became a channel for cross-community cooperation and gained a voice in the peace negotiations. The Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition, born from a group of unionist and republican NGOs, formed a political grouping to contest elections. Winning 1 per cent of the vote, they gained two seats at the negotiating table, where they put forward an all-woman, cross-community team. Kate Fearon describes how they promoted an inclusive, cooperative process, put women’s participation on the political map and brought a civil society voice to the negotiations. Although not a dominant force in forging the Belfast Agreement they influenced the political culture and in promoting peace and reconciliation, eventually becoming a permanent political party.
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