Irish Women's Citizens Association

The Irish Women's Citizens Association was an influential Non-governmental organization created in 1923 to advocate for women's rights in the aftermath of the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. Originally known as the Irish Women's Citizens' and Local Government Association, it was the result of a merger between the Irish Women’s Suffrage and Local Government Association and the Irish Women’s Association of Citizenship.[1] The aim of the new society was to “bring together all Irishwomen of all politics and all creeds for the study and practice of good citizenship”.[2] The association was active for three decades and advocated on key laws passed by the Irish Free State in its first decades of independence. In 1925 the association began a successful campaign against the Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill. This law would have prohibited women from advancing into the higher ranks of the civil service. A 1926 statement by the organization explained their opposition: "In the view of the women’s organisations, the question is one of principle. To them, the test for appointment to any office should be the fitness of the candidate to discharge the duties of that office – the question asked should be, not are these candidates men or women, but are they competent to do the work."[2] Due to the advocacy of the Irish Women's Citizens Association the Irish Senate rejected the bill.[2]

The group was involved in other significant campaigns. In 1927 the government proposed the Civil Service Amendment Act and the Juries Bill which exempted women from jury duty. The association joined with other groups to protest this law.[3] However, they were unsuccessful and women were excluded from jury duty by default. In 1934, the organization called for the elimination of section 17 of the Irish Criminal Law Amendment Act which prohibited the sale of contraceptives.[4][5] The group was unsuccessful and the sale of contraceptives in Ireland remained outlawed until the end of the century.[6] In 1947 the IWCA merged with the Irish Housewives Association.

References

  1. ↑ Irish women and the vote : becoming citizens. Ryan, Louise, 1965-, Ward, Margaret, 1950-. Dublin: Irish Academic Press. 2007. ISBN 9780716533924. OCLC 144377910.
  2. 1 2 3 Beaumont, Caitriona. "Women, citizenship and Catholicism in the Irish free state, 1922-1948". Women's History Review. 6 (4): 563–585. doi:10.1080/09612029700200154.
  3. ↑ Valiulis, Maryann Gialanella (25 March 2010). "Power, Gender, and Identity in the Irish Free State". Journal of Women's History. 7 (1): 117–136. doi:10.1353/jowh.2010.0308. ISSN 1527-2036.
  4. ↑ "Irish Women's Citizens' Association". The Irish Times. 20 November 1934.
  5. ↑ (eISB), electronic Irish Statute Book. "electronic Irish Statute Book (eISB)". www.irishstatutebook.ie. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
  6. ↑ "Contraception in Ireland". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved 8 November 2017.
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