Agreement Reached in the Multi-Party Negotiations - Transitional ...

• Have resources been put into improving public transport, important for
women’s mobility within and outside the community? (‘30% of households in
Northern Ireland have no access to a car, a situation which is likely to
disadvantage women’ and women are less likely than men to hold a driving
licence. 56 Only 3% of people in NI use public transport - partly a throwback to
issues of social inequality and safety during the conflict. ‘A further issue
identified as significant for women is that of safety in public transport, and
concerns about safety may restrict their participation in social and civic life.’ 57 )
• Would the gendered nature of public safety be addressed? In Northern Ireland
‘women experience higher levels of crime than men, with women being more
afraid of being out alone after dark, being more concerned in general about
their safety, and being much more concerned about the possibility of rape’. 58
• How would the role of civil society, where women are often prominent, be
enhanced?
• Would government deal with displacement, of particular concern to women
because their connection with the home is often different to men’s?
• Would the steps taken towards institutional reform make a bold effort to
include women?
Some of these would be addressed under a victim’s strategy, others through equality and
human rights legislation and institutional reform.
5.6 Dealing with Victims
Following the Agreement, the OFMDFM established a Victim’s Unit and the Northern
Ireland Office set up a Victim’s Liaison Unit, which had led to some confusion regarding
their respective roles. The NIO Minister, Angela Smith originally has responsibility for
both units.
The Victims Unit was given responsibility for the co-ordination of victims-related policies
across devolved government departments and the management of funding for victims’
measures under the European Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE II). The
unit published a key policy document outlining its victims’ strategy up to 2004 59 and
publishes an annual summary of activity. 60 Discussion of truth and justice issues was
deferred to the Healing Through Remembering Project set up in 2000 to ‘identify and
document possible mechanisms and realisable options for healing through remembering
for those affected by the conflict.’ 61
The Victims Liaison Unit had responsibility for implementing the Bloomfield findings and
overall responsibility for government funding for the full range of victims’ schemes and
programmes. In January 2005, the Victims Liaison Unit was dissolved, with many of its
functions transferred to the OFMDFM Victims Unit. However, a number of residual
issues concerning matters that have not been devolved remain with the NIO.
56 Ibid.
57 Ibid.
58 Ibid
59 OFMDFM Victims Unit Reshape, Rebuild, Achieve: Delivering Practical Help and Services to Victims of the Conflict
in Northern Ireland, Belfast, 2002
60 See for example Victims Unit Progress Report 1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004, July 2004
61 The Report of the Healing Through Remembering Project, 2002
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