Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail any steps they are taking to (i) address the root causes of; and (ii) use a prevention based approach to address, violence against women and girls.
First Minister and deputy First Minister: The Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Strategic Framework and its associated Delivery Plans recognise that prevention is key to addressing the root causes of VAWG and delivering the required societal change.
Three of the six Strategic Framework outcomes are explicitly prevention focused;
Changed attitudes, behaviours and culture;
Healthy, respectful relationships; and
Women and girls are safe and feel safe everywhere.
The second EVAWG Delivery Plan launched in April 2026 continues the focus on prevention and includes a wide range of preventionfocused actions, including:
Investment in community led initiatives and awareness raising through Local and Regional Change Funds;
Society wide campaigns, such as the Power To Change campaign (in partnership with the PSNI and Department of Justice) and the Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes coercive control campaign (in partnership with Ulster University) to challenge harmful attitudes and increase understanding of VAWG and its root causes;
Crosssector collaboration to embed prevention across education, workplaces, and safer socialising settings.
Prevention is embedded throughout the EVAWG programme, reflecting the clear focus on tackling root causes and stopping harm before it occurs.
ENDS
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