While 1975 marked International Women's Year, there are still many things that need to be done to advance equality for women.
British lawyer Tess Gill tells RTÉ News about the improvements in the legal status of women that have taken place and identifies areas that still need to be addressed specifically for women in Ireland.
Tess Gill believes that while International Women’s Year was useful in advocating for women, a lot more needs to be done.
It was an incentive to make sure that things improved for women.
Tess Gill says that in many respects Irish women are worse off than many other women internationally especially when it comes to matrimonial law, the lack of sexual discrimination law, and equal pay. There are many areas where women in Ireland are not seeing the rapid advancements in equality that women elsewhere are seeing.
She would specifically like to see improvements in women’s rights in the areas of employment and access to social services.
I would like to see the equal pay act, sex discrimination laws put into effect both in England and over here. I think if that was seen to be done, it would be a big advance for women.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 8 March 1976. The reporter is Kevin Healy.
