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The Northern Ireland Women's Aid Federation came into being
in 1977 with no statutory support, when the three groups Belfast,
Derry and Coleraine then affiliated to the National Women's
Aid Federation, covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland,
they later took a policy decision to disaffiliate and set up
a separate Federation, as did England and Wales. (Scotland already
had it's own national Federation from 1975). Links would be
maintained through regular meetings of regional co-ordinators.
The national Women's Aid Federation has been established in
1975 with 100% funding through the Department of Health &
Social Services in Britain in response to the report of the
Parliamentary Select Committee on Violence in Marriage (1975).
The all party committee took evidence throughout Britain from
social Services, Police, voluntary agencies etc...
Following the report grant-aid was discretionary (in Northern
Ireland the Health & social Services Boards have this responsibility),
whilst the National Offices were to be funded through central
government through the Department of Health & Social Services.
Legislation which followed the Select Committee Report was Homeless
Persons Act 1977 which did not come to Northern Ireland and
Domestic Proceedings Legislation which did in 1980. When the
DHSS agreed to grant-aid the Northern Ireland Women's Aid Federation
in 1978 they did not agree to follow the English precedent and
grant-aid at 100% but agreed to fund 83% of approved expenditure.
A staff of one, the regional co-ordinator was approved. It was
agreed that the first office and the co-ordinator be based in
Derry for the first three years of operation. It was felt that
the North West was in greater need of support for refuge development.
The Belfast group which was longer established and securely
funded would it would it was hoped be capable of supporting
an emerging service in the East and South. The grant-aid was
meagre but as part of the budget had to be met from fundraising,
a higher grant-aid was not sought, as no group felt that there
were resources to spare from the work of establishing and maintaining
refuges.
Fundraising is a constant worry and takes considerable energy
that the cause of battered women has little popular appeal.
Until very recently it was a taboo subject surrounded by ignorance
and is still bedevilled by myth. Whilst the individual groups
struggled to survive in order to provide refuge, the Federation
was severely limited in the resources it was to provide. Its
main function was to facilitate meetings at regional level and
this is undoubtedly of benefit to the movement. Contact was
maintained between the groups and with the Federations in England,
Wales and Scotland.
At the end of the three year period the decision to move to
Belfast was implemented. A realistic increase in grant-aid for
the Federation was sought and granted, funding for an administrative
assistant for the co-ordinator was secured through the ACE Scheme
and in 1984 when this was unable to continue the DHSS agreed
to fund the post. The last three years have been a period of
growth and consolidation. The previous pattern of co-ordinating
activity has been maintained but in addition new groups have
been established in Omagh, North Down, Craigavon & Newry.
Contacts have been made in Antrim, Ballymena and Enniskillen.
Training weekends have been held for paid and unpaid workers
in which all affiliated groups have been involved. These are
expected to continue and expand. |
