Gender equality

7. While welcoming the Convention on the Constitution’s recommendation of February 2013, the State party’s commitment to hold a referendum on the matter and the establishment of a task force, the Committee regrets the slow pace of progress in modifying the language of article 41.2 of the Constitution on the role of women in the home. It also expresses concern that, despite the adoption of the Electoral (Amendment) Political Funding Act 2012 which encourages political parties to establish a quota for female candidates, women continue to be underrepresented in both public and private sectors, particularly in decision-making positions. Additionally, the Committee is concerned that the new Gender Recognition Bill approved by the Cabinet in June 2014 retains the requirement for married transgender persons to dissolve the existing marriage or civil partnership to have their preferred gender formally recognized (arts. 2, 3, 23 and 26).

The State party should take concrete steps to implement the recommendations issued by the Convention on the Constitution to facilitate the amendment of article 41.2 of the Constitution to render it gender-neutral, and further encourage greater participation of women in both public and private sectors, including by providing stable and sufficient funding for institutions established to promote and protect gender equality. It should also ensure that transgender persons and representatives of transgender organizations are effectively consulted in the finalization of the Gender Recognition Bill so as to ensure that their rights are fully guaranteed, including the right to legal recognition of gender without the requirement of dissolution of marriage or civil partnership.

Link to full text of the report: Concluding Observations-CCPR-Ireland-2014-eng