On Monday, 25th September, Ulster Unionist Party Leader Doug Beattie MC MLA met with Northern Ireland Women’s Aid Federation Chief Executive Officer Sarah Mason and Regional Services Manager Sonya McMullan to discuss their concerns that the Women’s Aid Federation NI is no longer receiving its core funding from the Department of Health as of the 30th September 2023.

Sarah and Sonya explained that the Northern Ireland Women’s Aid Federation will now be the only Federation in the UK that does not receive funding from local government to help carry out its vital work in supporting women and children who are subject to domestic abuse.

Doug Beattie MC MLA said, “On average, every 16 minutes, the PSNI is called about a domestic abuse incident, and the work that the Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland does to support these individuals is invaluable. The fact that this organisation has now lost its local government funding to help support victims of domestic abuse is embarrassing for us to have let this happen and insulting to them.

“Where there has been an absence of a functioning Executive and Assembly, the voluntary sector has stepped in and supported those in need. However, the continued absence of an Assembly is now drastically impacting those voluntary organisations and the services they provide. Therefore, we must get back into government to secure funding for organisations like the Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland to ensure they can continue to provide their vital services.”