The North Down MLA said: “Northern Ireland needs a strategy to tackle the normalised and unacceptable violence against women and girls. We are the only nation across the UK and Ireland without an approved action plan to tackle this issue and it’s not good enough.

“The draft EVAWG strategy completed the last stages of consultation in 2023, making it ready to deliver the change we need. Today I wrote to the First and deputy First Minister to express my explicit disappointment at our lack of progress, joining the calls from the women’s sector organisations who have reiterated the absolute necessity for the Executive to allocate state funding and resourcing to achieve this Strategy and Action Plan.  

“I want to commend the community and voluntary sector for driving progress on ending gender-based violence. Their perseverance in delivering essential and specialised services in the face of Executive underfunding is admirable, but it shouldn’t be this way.  

“A recent Ulster University report found that 98% of women in Northern Ireland have experienced at least one form of violence or abuse in their lifetime. Misogyny and gendered violence are extremely prevalent in our society and we need to focus on prevention through education, protection for our most vulnerable, and resourced frontline specialist services.

“There’s been an Action Plan waiting on the First Minister and deputy First Minister’s desks since day one of the Assembly’s return. Recess is coming to an end and we cannot afford more delays. We owe it to the current victims and survivors to fight for a better NI so more people can get the help they need, and lead fulfilling lives free from harm and abuse.”