Council Chair Supports EVAWG Initiative
The Mid Ulster Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) has held its first Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) event in Dungannon, highlighting the work of White Ribbon NI and the Power To Change campaign.
Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) is a seven-year programme mandated by the Executive which will address the whole range of gender-based violence, abuse and harm which is disproportionately experienced by women and girls, and which is rooted in gender inequality. The Power to Change campaign urges men and boys to play their part in affecting a cultural and societal shift.
After the event, Council Chair, Councillor Eugene McConnell, joined with Mid Ulster PCSP Chair, Councillor Christine McFlynn to emphasise the importance of the seven-year programme, launched in January this year, saying:
There can be no doubt that there is an epidemic of violence against women and girls in today’s society, therefore it is vital that we support the Executive’s Strategic Framework to address the issue, and events like tonight’s PCSP seminar play an important role in bringing the community together to affect real change. We all have the power to lead the way towards a culture of respect and safety for all.
PCSP Chair, Councillor Christine McFlynn added:
“Mid Ulster PCSP has selected Ending Violence Against Women and Girls as one of the key themes that currently needs addressing in our society and working with our partners in the Education Authority and PSNI, we aim to challenge everyone in our society to change their attitudes to women and girls. A recent report included the shocking statistic that 98% of women interviewed said that they had experienced at least one form of gender-based violence or abuse in their lifetime.
"The lives of women and girls cannot be reduced to statistics. The stories behind the statistics are stories about all of us, so all of us have an obligation to work towards change in attitudes, culture and behaviour to prevent incidences of violence against women and girls. To this end, I welcome the additional funding from the Executive Office and the ‘Power to Change’ campaign.”
A key action within the Strategic Framework delivery plan is to launch and support delivery and impact of a community focused Change Fund to equip community groups to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.
£2m has been made available across the 11 Councils in Northern Ireland, of which £165,000 has been allocated to Mid Ulster District Council to support the Local Change Fund. These grants are available for initiatives that aim to prevent violence and drive society wide action ensuring that everyone understands what violence against women and girls is and how to prevent it by educating people on how to take action.
There are three tiers of grant funding available for projects taking place between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026: Tier 1 - grants between £1,000 and £5,000; Tier 2 - grants between £5,001 and £15,000; and Tier 3 - grants between £15,001 and up to £25,000.
Applications will open on Friday 14 March at 9am, closing on Friday 18 April at 12 noon. Details will be published shortly on the Council’s website and social media channels. Find out more about the EVAWG Programme.