Young women need to know that leadership can come in any form.
That's the view of women’s health campaigner Vicky Phelan, who this morning opened Ireland’s biggest conference for young women.
This year’s FemFest is celebrating 100 years of women’s suffrage – and the centenary of the first Dáil Éireann.
Over 200 young women are at the event hearing about the importance of women in leadership and why young women in Ireland need more female role models.
During her opening speech this morning, Ms Phelan described herself as an “accidental leader” – and said young people need to understand that leadership can come in any form.
Super morning underway with @PhelanVicky , @OrlaNWCI & host of great guests #Femfest I’m charing & speaking about ‘women in public life’. Might give #madampolitician a mention!! @NWCI pic.twitter.com/quDlvS8Jk2
— Martina Fitzgerald (@MartinaFitzg) January 19, 2019
Ahead of her speech, she told Today FM that she hopes her story will inspire more young women to take a stand if they feel that something is not right.
“I think if you get them early and encourage them early at a young age – I have a 13-year-old daughter myself and she is very like me, she asks lots of questions – but I think that is the way to start them off,” she said.
“Start as you mean to go on; get them to start thinking, if something is not right, go with your gut.
“That is what I have done all my life; I have always gone with my gut instinct and if things are not right, I question it.
“It is just to instil that in them – that you know your body.”
Campaigner Vicky Phelan, activist Ellie Kisyombe and NWCI director Orla O’Connor at the Femfest conference in Dublin. Image: Adrian Harmon/Today FM
Meanwhile, Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women's Council of Ireland said there is a deficit of female role models throughout Irish society, noting that, “You can’t be what you can’t see.”
“The young women here today are the leaders of tomorrow,” she said.
“They want their voices and experiences heard and to be portrayed as strong, independent people in the media; to aspire to senior decision making positions and to live in a world where they don’t have to navigate limiting gender stereotypes.
“The young women here today are our next generation of role models and, together with NWCI; we will smash glass ceilings and gender stereotypes and shape a new Ireland for young women.”
With reporting from Adrian Harmon
@NWCI ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ - ‘As a woman you need to shot and jump 10 times higher to get your voice heard’ - Ellie Kisyombe, Migrant Woman running for election sitting on the #FemFest panel #inspirational #truth pic.twitter.com/MjYpY3ASTk
— Amy Michelle Collins (@amymichelle_c) January 19, 2019
