The Government has failed to stop discrimination against women, despite its international obligations, a new report from the Women's Human Rights Alliance (WHRA) has found.
Ireland signed the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) almost 20 years ago. However, in practice, it has shown opposition to its commitments, WHRA said.
"Despite some advances, progress in so many areas has been abysmally slow," WHRA co-ordinator, Ms Noirín Clancy, said.
The report, compiled from consultation with women's groups throughout the State, concentrates on four areas of concern: political representation, health, violence against women and barriers to education and employment.
Women are "seriously under-represented" at all levels of politics, with a lower number of female ministers in the current Cabinet than previously, the report said. Women entering politics faced working practices that were not family-friendly.
The report calls for the Government to recognise the "reproductive rights" of women and legalise abortion in circumstances such as the X case.
It criticises the persistent view of violence against women as a private matter rather than a social crime, and says the support services for women experiencing violence are "inadequate".
