Council launches Ending Violence Against Women and Girls initiative

It is a problem that is often hidden in plain sight and every day we see how it is affecting the lives of women and girls, wherever they learn, live and work.

Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) is a seven-year programme mandated by the Northern Ireland Executive. It aims to address a wide range of gender-based violence, abuse and harm which are disproportionately experienced by women and girls.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has launched a series of initiatives to support the delivery of the Northern Ireland Executive EVAWG Strategic Framework. These initiatives form part of a wider £3.2 million investment announced by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in January 2025 to tackle violence against women and girls across Northern Ireland.

As part of this funding, £2m has been allocated across the 11 Councils in Northern Ireland. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has secured £200,000 to support local EVAWG initiatives. Of this, £135,000 will be directed to local voluntary and community organisations through the Council’s EVAWG Change Fund. This funding will support projects focused on key prevention outcomes, including: challenging the attitudes, behaviours and cultures that cause violence against women and girls, promoting education on healthy and respectful relationships and helping women and girls to feel and be safe everywhere.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson Councillor Pete Byrne said, “Ending Violence Against Women and Girls initiatives provide a vital opportunity for the Council to play a proactive role in educating communities, promoting safe and healthy relationships and helping women and girls to feel safe.”

Alongside funding, the Council will deliver a range of events to build awareness and promote cultural change. Upcoming events include a major EVAWG Stakeholder Conference at the Canal Court Hotel, Newry; Youth Engagement Events in partnership with the Education Authority and in recent weeks the Council has also hosted EVAWG awareness sessions for Elected Members and supported engagement events with private and voluntary sectors.

For more information about the EVAWG initiative please visit this website: https://www.newrymournedown.org/ending-violence-against-women-and-girls