THE Women's Aid Federation in Northern Ireland has appealed directly to MPs at Westminster over impending funding cuts they have warned will be a "massive blow" to their ability to help vulnerable women.
Representatives from the group, which oversees Women's Aid branches across the north, were in London this week to raise awareness of the challenges they now face in the wake of Stormont's Department of Health cutting its Core Grant Funding scheme.
The scheme provides support for community and voluntary groups in the north, but is being cut in attempts by the department to plug a £732 million funding gap.
The department's permanent secretary Peter May has warned it is facing an "impossible position" financially following the recent budget by Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.
Among those to lose out from September is the Women's Aid Federation, which will see its annual £147,000 granted under the scheme axed.
Representatives met with members of the NI Affairs Committee at Westminster, which is currently examining the funding and delivery of public services in the north.
Last year, the Women's Aid Federation launched its 'Unlock the Funding' campaign as the Stormont stalemate caused by the DUP's boycott of power sharing over the NI Protocol threatened vital financial support.
Speaking to the Irish News from London, federation chief executive Sarah Mason said the impending cuts were "demoralising" at a time when the north was finally catching up with the rest of the UK in terms of domestic abuse legislation.
"The loss of core funding is a massive blow for us, as it also causes issues in terms of attracting other funding," she said.
"We are proactive with income generation, but when you apply for funding through, for example, charities such as Comic Relief, not having the support of your local government undermines your position immediately.
"It's a perilous situation, and an incredibly short-sighted move by the Department of Health, but we will continue to fight for support in Northern Ireland, where a woman is murdered every other month."
#TimeHasStopped#UnlockTheFunding pic.twitter.com/CwP30G6Sf0
— Women's Aid NI (@WomensAidNI) May 24, 2023
Among those to speak with the delegation at Westminster was South Belfast SDLP MP Claire Hanna.
The MP tweeted after the meeting it was "deeply concerning" that the group faced losing its only government funding "at a time when violence against women is persisting and increasing".
Ms Hannah said she would stress the need for the funding to be kept with the Department of Health and the Northern Ireland Office.
Alliance MLA Connie Egan said the loss of the funds would be "catastrophic".
“Northern Ireland is statistically speaking one of the most dangerous places in Western Europe for women facing domestic abuse," she said.
“Before the collapse of government here, the Executive Office was pursuing a strategy to tackle violence against women and girls, while the seven-year domestic and sexual abuse strategy between the Department of Justice and Department of Health is up for renewal.
“To then cut this funding is at complete odds with that."
She added: "This decision needs to be reversed immediately. It will literally save lives.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health told the Irish News: "It is important to emphasise that the Department’s Core Grant Scheme is a small part of the total health service expenditure which goes to the Community and Voluntary Sector, as most money is for the direct provision of services.
"As part of the plans to make £360m in savings this year, the funding for the Core Grant Scheme is regrettably being reduced. Community and voluntary organisations will only receive core grant funding for the first half of this financial year."
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