Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

Ending Violence Against Women and Girls in Newry, Mourne and Down

Ending all forms of violence, abuse and harm against women and girls is one of the most pressing challenges facing us today. It is also a priority in the NI Executive’s draft Programme for Government.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is supporting the NI Executive Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. The Strategy highlights how violence is never acceptable and that there is something everyone can do to help.

We are working with a range of partners to tackle an issue which impacts everyone across our District.

Our work includes:

• area events in partnership with the Education Authority and our local Youth Voice Group
• awareness sessions with Elected Members (facilitated by Women’s Aid ArmaghDown)
• engagement events with local businesses and community / voluntary sector groups
• a Video & Social Media Campaign
• a Stakeholder Conference, took place on Tuesday 25 March 2025 in the Canal Court Hotel, Newry

Local Change Fund 

Community and voluntary groups from across the Council District have been awarded funding to deliver projects aimed at tackling violence against women and girls across Newry, Mourne and Down. This new Local Change Fund grant scheme has been set up to support the Northern Ireland Executive's seven-year Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and Girls.

The projects must be delivered before 31 March 2026 and their aim is to help change the attitudes, behaviours and culture of violence against women and girls, to promote healthy, respectful relationships and to help women and girls to feel and to be safe everywhere.

Information on the successful projects will be added to this webpage soon.

Help and support

There are agencies and confidential services that can support you if you are experiencing violence or feel unsafe. Contact details are available from nidirect.

The PSNI, Department of Justice and NI Executive have launched the Power to Change campaign, which is urging men and boys to help play their part in affecting cultural and societal change.

To read more about this campaign, go to Power to Change.

Stakeholder Conference, Tuesday 25 March 2025

Canal Court Hotel Newry

Connect, Challenge, Change - Working in partnership towards Ending Violence Against Women and Girls in Newry, Mourne and Down

Our recent EVAWG Stakeholder Conference was a call to action, urging everyone to work together to End Violence Against Women and Girls in Newry, Mourne and Down.  Over 200 attendees head from speakers including Eileen Murphy (CEO Women’s Aid Armagh Down), Professor Louise Crowley (University College Cork) and Claire Archbold (The Executive Office).  The victim / survivor perspective came from Rita Geraghty who spoke about her personal experience of long-term physical and mental abuse at the hands of her husband for over 26 years.

This event was delivered by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, supported by funding from The Executive. It focused on raising awareness of primary prevention highlighting the role we all play in helping women and girls feel safe. It explored the language we use around Violence Against Women and Girls matters, the importance of challenging unconscious bias and how both individuals and organisations can take meaningful action toward achieving systemic change.

View the speaker bios here.