People Before Profit stands for a radical improvement in the lives of women, men, and non-binary people. As a socialist organisation we are proud to fight for a society free from sexism, racism, misogyny, and exploitation. Our activists have been, and continue to be, centrally involved in the fight for full reproductive justice. People Before Profit members have also been central to the fight to eradicate gender-based violence and for the supports that woman need to end abusive relationships. Ireland will not be liberated until women, trans and non-binary people are fully liberated, fully supported, and fully included.
To achieve this, we will need to work inside and outside the Dáil. We need to challenge issues at government level while also building mass movements on our streets, in our workplaces and in our communities. People Before Profit is proud to play a role in building these movements for liberation and for an end to all forms of capitalist oppression.
Women play an indispensable role in our society, particularly in healthcare, caregiving, and education — fields where they represent the majority of the workforce. Across the world, women make up 70% of the healthcare professionals on the frontline in hospitals and other health facilities. In their roles as wives and mothers, women provide a disproportionate amount of care and support, while doing most of the housework and often holding down a second job. Our children also rely disproportionately on women as childcare professionals, primary school teachers, special needs assistants and social care workers.
In each of these ways, women provide essential support that allows others to lead more rewarding lives. Their own reward in Irish society is to live with less wealth, lower incomes, and more precarious employment than their male counterparts. They also live in a state that refuses to provide full reproductive justice; a state that continues to create barriers to abortion services, even after the historic victory in repealing the Eight Amendment.
The lack of social and affordable housing has meant some women staying in abusive relationships longer than they should. Women are more likely to be responsible for household budgets and in lower paid jobs, which has left them severely impacted by the cost of living crises. Women have also been overlooked for vital healthcare services with medication such as HRT and vital services such as smear tests, breast-check, and gynaecology assessments often deprioritised.
For transgender and non-binary people the state’s record is even more shameful. Both groups remain among the most vulnerable members of Irish society despite the state rhetoric of nondiscrimination. Trans and non-binary people continue to face extremely high levels of stigmatisation and marginalisation with the state’s lack of recognition for non-traditional identities a major contributing factor. Research by Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI) shows that suicidality, regular harassment, violence, and systemic discrimination are commonplace for trans gender and non-binary people who suffer gross abuse of their human rights as a result. There is only one Irish clinic offering public healthcare to trans people who currently face a six-year waiting list. There is also a ban on blood donation from gay and bisexual men unless they can prove they have been celibate for 12 months. These are forms of discrimination that have no place in a progressive Ireland.
Over the past 100 years of FF-FG rule, the inequalities in our society have only been amplified. Women, trans and non-binary people have faced the brunt of the rising cost of living. Higher inflation in energy and food has pushed more women and non-binary people into poverty, vulnerability, and insecurity. However, it doesn’t have to be this way.
This charter for Women and Gender Equality lays out key policies in four key areas that would, if implemented, radically improve the lives of women, trans and non-binary people. In the areas of Childcare, Reproductive Health Care, Working Conditions and Pay, and Sexism and Gender Based Violence this document shows what would be done by People Before Profit to build a more inclusive, progressive, and supportive society.