Shared Society
Building peace in rural areas and communities is all about supporting the processes that lead to an absence of violence and conflict; an absence of fear of violence, a flourishing of economic, social and political justice, peaceful co-existence and the shared ‘democratic’ use of power. The principles of community development (equality and anti-discrimination, social justice, collective action, community empowerment and working and learning together) clearly resonate with this. Key elements of peace building in rural areas relate to breaking the silence/s (including ‘polite silence’, avoidance and a ‘tacit culture of silence), learning to share space and the development of community and civic leaders prepared to engage in this type of challenging work. The application of community development principles in practice enables people to follow a very useful and structured process of working together to identify their needs; take action to exert influence on the decisions which affect their lives; and improve their quality of life and ultimately the quality of wider community life. It also provides a mechanism by which community and public agencies can work together to improve the quality of government.

Context for Rural Women
Women in NI today are still economically, culturally and politically unequal.  Women continue to struggle with dominant patriarchal values and structures in every sphere of private and public life and are underrepresented in public life and the political arena where change may be influenced and enacted.  The process of social change in NI has been impacted by the NI Conflict [1] and Post Good Friday Agreement policy making has not improved matters for women in NI [2].  The lack of gender parity that exists throughout Northern Irish society is, in our view, a key factor hindering the development of a new shared future.  Women in NI have not been afforded the opportunity to participate equally in progressing the country from a post conflict society to a peaceful society.  This is having a negative impact on their social and economic development, particularly those already experiencing disadvantage; such as rural women.  It is imperative that our region has ‘visible’ women at decision-making level if sustainable peace is to be achieved.

This is amplified for women in rural areas due to Access Poverty [3].  The accessibility of education, training, work and childcare provision and the cost and availability of public transport are factors in determining women’s participation; particularly in rural areas [4].  Women in NI remain under represented in public [5] and political life and rural women’s participation in public and political life [6] is further hindered by geography and distance from decision making spaces.  Even recent welcome initiatives such as; ‘Women in Public Life’ Programme [7] is based in Belfast and this is echoed in the location of the majority of public appointments; even within the wider women’s sector rural women still need a stronger voice [8] and support: ‘There are also stark inequities between Government funding for service delivery to women’s groups between rural and urban (1.3% v 98.7%)’ [9].  It is imperative that women in rural areas are listened to and supported so that their historic invisibility is not mirrored in a post-conflict society.

[1] Women Living in Disadvantaged Communities: Barriers to Participation; Dr Helen Mc Laughlin

[2] Review of Gender Issues in Northern Ireland, Michael Potter NIAR 510-13, 2014 http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/Documents/RaISe/Publications/2014/ofmdfm/1514.pdf

[3] TRPSI Framework https://www.daerani.gov.uk/sites/default/files/consultations/dard/Final%20Version%20-%20Consultation%20Document%20on%20Proposals%20for%20Successor%20Framework.pdf

[4] Rural Women’s Manifesto Rural Women Speak NIRWN June 2015

[5] Women and Public Appointments in NI http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/documents/raise/publications/2014/assembly_exec_review/11914.pdf

[6] Women in Politics and the NI Assembly http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/globalassets/documents/reports/assem_exec_review/women-in-politics.pdf

[7] http://politicsplus.com/programmes/women/women-in-public-life-programme/

[8] Evaluation of the Regional Infrastructure Support Programme (Final Report, June 2015)

[9] Evaluation of the Regional Infrastructure Support Programme (Final Report, June 2015)