The two Women's Coalition members elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly have said they will refuse to designate themselves as nationalist, unionist or "other" for the duration of the Assembly. Instead, they will change their designation depending on the vote and "in order to protect the agreement".
When the Assembly meets today for the first time members will have to register under one of these three categories, as provided for in the Belfast Agreement. However, the Assembly's standing orders also allow members to change their designation up to seven days before any vote and members of the same party can also designate themselves differently.
Ms Monica McWilliams, who was elected along with Ms Jane Morrice, said they were dissatisfied with the designation options currently in place. "We will refuse to have a label stuck on our heads that will be sitting there for the four years of this Assembly. We do not want labels to be imposed."
Ms McWilliams said she believed it was "unfair that nationalist and unionist voting was more weighted than the weighting of others", and that they would be "offering a hand of friendship to parties when they need it".
At today's vote on a First Minister and Deputy First Minister, the coalition will "consider how the numbers tally up" before designating themselves.
"We see ourselves going in, at the minute, as `others', but we will not sit as `others'. If we see a problem arising, and this Assembly needs to be protected, we will give a week's notice and we will designate ourselves according to the protection of the Assembly," Ms McWilliams said.
Over the life of the Assembly, the coalition would assess each decision in relation to its three core principles of equality, inclusion and respect for human rights, and consider whether it would be acceptable to all sections of the community.
Ms McWilliams said the Women's Coalition would also be seeking an 11th executive seat, to be rotated among the smaller parties. It would also be arguing for two new ministries, one incorporating Environmental Protection and Public Health and the other dealing with Children, Youth and Families.
The coalition would also propose the establishment of a committee drawn from "parties to the agreement", which would include the Ulster Democratic Party and the Labour grouping, the two parties which failed to get any member elected to the Assembly.
At today's election of a presiding officer, the Women's Coalition will argue for a panel of Speakers from all parties to be drawn up. The position would then be rotated between them.