The Next Chapter

Programme 2014 - 2020 Ireland - United Kingdom (PEACE IV)

Date of latest update: 2021-12-15

Description

Description (EN):

The Next Chapter will empower women to address the under-representation of women’s participation in peace and reconciliation, and in public and political life. Participants will enhance their capacity to contribute to peace and reconciliation and to progress gender equality on a regional basis through: Capacity building initiatives; Development of a support network; Working on cross-community and cross-border basis, and, Building their experience of influencing policy development. Through lead partner Politics Plus, and fellow partners NICVA and Irish Rural Link, the ten established Chapters will be supported and have access to decision-making bodies in Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic of Ireland (RoI), thus supporting cross-community and cross-border collaboration. In terms of strategic policy and context, The Next Chapter will contribute towards the strategic aims and objectives of gender equality policies from the European Union (EU), NI and RoI. The Next Chapter will complement the strategic context set forward in: EU policies including Women’s Charter in 2010, Women on the Board Pledge for Europe in 2011, European Pact for Gender Equality 2011-2020; RoI policies including National Women’s Strategy 2007-2016 and Gender Parity in Decision Making in Ireland in 2013; and, NI policies including the Women in Politics and the Northern Ireland Assembly Review in 2014. By increasing competencies of participants, the project will serve to create a network of women collaborating to improve gender balance in public/political life; create positive cross-community working relationships; and contribute to peace and reconciliation. With regards to need and demand, extensive research illustrates that women’s power to contribute to decision-making at an executive level in the region, has been largely restricted. Institutionalised barriers exist to the participation of women in initiatives which have been developed to deal with the legacy of the NI conflict. This continued imbalance in gender representation within key decision-making positions continues to present equality issues, and can only be addressed through long term strategy, interventions and projects such as this proposal. Four project options were considered: Do nothing, Continuing existing projects, Seeking financial support from political parties to fund this work, Submitting proposal for funding to SEUPB under Peace IV Programme (the preferred option). Through the SEUPB funding, this proposal can be implemented on a larger scale and on a cross-border basis, therefore maximising its impact and thus creating a lasting legacy. The Next Chapter will have accountable and transparent financial policies and controls to ensure financial sustainability. The lead partner will be responsible for: Creating business cases for approval;

Achievements (EN):

The Next Chapter project established ten ‘Chapters’ in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland (Belfast; Lisburn and Castlereagh; Mid-Ulster; Enniskillen; Foyle; Newtownabbey; Newry; Cavan; Louth; Monaghan; and Donegal). These chapters were made up of women interested in becoming involved in a locally-based network working on peace, reconciliation and gender-equality in community, public and political representation. The Chapters had the opportunity to meet with their local female political representatives; participate in a social policy consultation event; and develop a community project & vodcast. Additional Project Outputs: 1) Increased competency and capacity of beneficiaries to contribute towards peace and reconciliation - Five modules of capacity building training and five individual coaching sessions for each Chapter member delivered. - Improved competency and capacity by beneficiaries from different communities. 2) Increased policy reform and sharing of best practice - Two Women's Ambassadors Forum Events; Communication Activities; and a Celebration Event. - Commissioned and published a project evaluation report Added: to evidence the effectiveness of the pilot project model used. 3) Better Understanding of the long-term impact of interventions on supporting gender equality in post-conflict society. - Commissioned and published a project evaluation report. - Improved gender-equality in community, public and political representation, including the associated improved effectiveness in peace-building. 4) Increased representation of women in decision-making roles in public and political life in NI and the border counties - Enabled participants to enter community, public and political life as a result of being involved in the project. - Improved representation of women in community, public and political life challenging gender inequalities.

Website: https://www.seupb.eu/piv-overview

Expected Results (EN): 4.1: The percentage of people who think relations between protestants and catholics are better than they were 5 years ago;

Thematic information

Social inclusion and equal opportunities Community integration and common identity

Specific Objective: The promotion of positive relations characterised by respect, and where cultural diversity is celebrated and people can live, learn and socialise together, free from prejudice, hate and intolerance

Thematic Objective: (09) promoting social inclusion, combating poverty and any discrimination, by:

Investment Priority: (09f) promoting social and economic stability in the regions concerned, notably by actions to promote cohesion between communities (ETC-PC)

Partners (3)

Lead Partner: Politics Plus

Address: Room B26, Parliament Buildings, Stormont Estate, BT4 3XX Belfast, United Kingdom

Legal status: private

Total budget: EUR 1 241 468.76

Irish Rural Link Cooperative Society Ltd

Name: Irish Rural Link Cooperative Society Ltd

Address: Moate Business Park, Clara Road, Moate, N37 W9RO Westmeath, Ireland

Legal status: private

Website: www.irishrurallink.ie

Total budget: EUR 118 092.85

Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

Name: Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

Address: 61 Duncairn Gardens, BT15 2GB Belfast, United Kingdom

Legal status: private

Total budget: EUR 93 664.25

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Partners and Projects info

Irish Rural Link Cooperative Society Ltd

The Next Chapter

Partners and Projects info

Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

The Next Chapter

Partners and Projects info

Politics Plus

The Next Chapter

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): The Next Chapter

Project acronym: The Next Chapter

Project start date: 2017-10-01

Project end date: 2019-12-31

Project status: closed

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 453 225.86

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 235 241.98

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, .

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2014 - 2020 Ireland - United Kingdom (PEACE IV)

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2023-09-12

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

96 / 96 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

190 / 235 (80.85%)

Notes on the data

Information provided by the Programme. Part of the data was retrieved by Interact from the programme´s website on the 2023-09-11. Achievements were retrieved by Interact from the Programme website (https://www.seupb.eu/piv-overview), or a website directly linked from it, on 2021-11-17, 2023-02-01 and 2024-03-20.

The financial data featured in keep.eu for this programme, it's projects and its partners is not exact and should be taken as a reference only.

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The Next Chapter

Description

Thematic information

Partners (3)

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Summary

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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