Northern Ireland teens lead UK push for women's safety minister

A generation’s demand for change

Four teenagers from Ballycastle, a coastal town in Northern Ireland, have turned their frustration into action. Eimear, Pearse, Aoísha and Devyn, all aged between 15 and 17, are leading a campaign for the creation of a dedicated women’s safety minister—a role that would oversee policies to combat violence against women and girls. Their initiative, born from a shared sense of disillusionment with the pace of progress, has gained traction in local political circles and beyond, highlighting a growing demand for systemic change.

The campaign comes at a time when Northern Ireland, like much of the UK, is grappling with the persistent issue of gender-based violence. According to Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) data, reports of domestic abuse have risen steadily over the past decade, with over 32,000 incidents recorded in the 2024-25 financial year. Yet, despite these figures, the region lacks a ministerial position specifically tasked with addressing the root causes of such violence or coordinating a cross-departmental response.

For the teenagers behind the campaign, the catalyst was a series of high-profile cases that dominated headlines in recent months. "We were tired of seeing the same stories over and over," Devyn told BBC News. "Women being attacked, women being killed, and nothing changing. We realised that if we wanted things to be different, we had to do something ourselves." Their efforts have included organising local rallies, meeting with MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly), and launching a petition that has garnered over 5,000 signatures in just a few weeks.

Why Northern Ireland—and why now?

The push for a women’s safety minister is not occurring in a vacuum. Northern Ireland’s political landscape has long been shaped by its unique history, including the legacy of the Troubles and the power-sharing arrangements that followed. While the region has made strides in areas like education and healthcare, gender equality has often taken a backseat in policy discussions. The absence of a dedicated minister for women’s safety reflects a broader gap in the political infrastructure, where issues like domestic violence and street harassment are frequently addressed in piecemeal fashion rather than through a coordinated strategy.

The campaign also arrives at a moment of heightened scrutiny of how institutions respond to gender-based violence. In June, a report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office found that support services for victims of domestic abuse were chronically underfunded, with waiting lists for refuge spaces stretching to over six months in some areas. The report’s findings resonated with the teenagers’ own observations. "We’ve spoken to women who’ve had to wait months for help," said Eimear. "That’s not good enough. A minister could make sure these services get the funding and attention they need."

Political support for the campaign has been mixed. Some MLAs, particularly from the Alliance Party and the Green Party, have publicly endorsed the idea, framing it as a necessary step toward aligning Northern Ireland with other parts of the UK. In England and Wales, for example, the role of Minister for Safeguarding was created in 2021 to oversee policies aimed at protecting vulnerable groups, including women and girls. Scotland, too, has a Minister for Equalities, who works closely with violence prevention organisations.

However, other politicians have been more cautious. Sinn Féin, the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly, has called for a broader review of how gender-based violence is addressed but has stopped short of endorsing a standalone ministerial role. "We need to see a comprehensive strategy, not just a new title," said a party spokesperson. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has not yet taken a formal position, though individual members have expressed support for the teenagers’ efforts.

Beyond Northern Ireland: a UK-wide reckoning

The campaign in Ballycastle is part of a wider conversation about how the UK addresses violence against women and girls. In England, the government’s Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, launched in 2021, has faced criticism for its slow implementation. A recent report by the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee found that just 13% of the strategy’s key actions had been fully delivered, with funding for frontline services remaining inconsistent.

In Scotland, the introduction of a Misogyny and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill in 2023 marked a significant step toward treating misogyny as a standalone hate crime. Yet, even there, activists argue that more needs to be done to address the cultural and systemic factors that enable violence. "Legislation is important, but it’s not enough," said Sandy Brindley, chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland. "We need leadership at every level—someone whose job it is to make sure these laws are enforced and that services are properly resourced."

The teenagers in Ballycastle are acutely aware of these broader challenges. Their campaign has drawn inspiration from similar movements across the UK, including the End Violence Against Women Coalition and local grassroots groups like Women’s Aid. But they are also keen to emphasise that their focus is on Northern Ireland’s specific context. "We’re not trying to copy what’s happening elsewhere," said Pearse. "We’re saying that Northern Ireland needs its own solution, one that works for us."

What happens next?

The campaign’s immediate goal is to secure a debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly, where MLAs would vote on whether to establish the ministerial role. The teenagers have already met with several key figures, including the Speaker of the Assembly, and are optimistic about the prospects for a vote in the autumn. If successful, the proposal would then move to the Executive Office for consideration, where it would need cross-party support to become reality.

Even if the campaign does not immediately result in a new minister, its impact is already being felt. Local councils in Derry and Belfast have begun discussions about how they might integrate women’s safety into their own policy frameworks, and several schools in County Antrim have invited the teenagers to speak about their work. "Whether or not we get a minister, we’ve started a conversation," said Aoísha. "And that’s something."

For now, the four friends are focused on keeping the momentum going. They are planning a series of community events over the summer, including a march in Belfast in August, and are working with local artists to create a mural in Ballycastle that highlights their campaign. Their message is simple: change is possible, but it requires persistence—and a willingness to demand more from those in power.

As the UK continues to grapple with the scale of violence against women and girls, the campaign in Northern Ireland serves as a reminder that progress often begins with those who refuse to accept the status quo. For Eimear, Pearse, Aoísha and Devyn, the fight is personal. "We’re not doing this for ourselves," said Devyn. "We’re doing it for the women who aren’t here anymore, and for the ones who will come after us."