Justice Minister Naomi Long has met with pupils from Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, to commend their innovative student-led initiative, 'Female Voices', which aims to combat misogyny and challenge sexism within the school curriculum.

During her visit to the Belfast school, Minister Long highlighted the broader implications of such work. "Tackling domestic and sexual abuse remains a priority for me and the Department of Justice," she stated. "However, I have always been clear that this is an issue which cannot be tackled in isolation; it will require a whole society approach."

The Minister expressed her encouragement at the students' proactive stance. "Therefore, it is heartening to see a group of young people taking such proactive steps to address the attitudes that enable domestic and sexual abuse to happen," she said. The 'Female Voices' initiative is designed to empower young people to recognise and challenge harmful stereotypes and beliefs by ensuring that the female voice is an integral part of conversations within schools. "It will ultimately help to reduce the harm caused by domestic and sexual abuse, and I would like to congratulate the Female Voices project team on their efforts to create a safer Northern Ireland for all," Minister Long added.

The project began in September 2023, when a team of 19 students from Years 9 to 14 at Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, collaboratively designed and began to deliver the ambitious initiative. Its core aim was to elevate the female voice within the curriculum and to develop resources to facilitate open discussions in schools surrounding sexism and misogyny.

Since its launch, the student project team has delivered impactful workshops and training sessions to various educators and has also presented their research and resources to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).