An event in tribute to the work of Professor Eileen Evason

ARK is pleased to dedicate Poverty in Northern Ireland: Where are we now? to Professor Eileen Evason, who worked in Social Policy for almost 30 years and was a lifelong campaigner for equality and women’s rights. ARK is Northern Ireland’s social policy hub. Established in 2000 by researchers at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University, its primary goal is to increase the accessibility and use of academic data and research.

25 Years on from the Good Friday Agreement, what progress has been made to reduce Northern Ireland’s poverty rate? The cost-of-living crisis continues to have a significant impact on households, hitting those on low-incomes hardest. The discussion will focus on the social and economic inequalities that currently exist and discussants and attendees will consider solutions going forward. Whilst there is some support in the form of the Welfare Reform Mitigation package introduced in 2016, progress on implementing policy remains limited and the recommendations for an Anti-Poverty Strategy remain an aspiration. Join the discussion with a panel of research and policy experts.

The discussion will be chaired by Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick (Ulster University)

Panelists:
Sióbhan Harding: Women’s Support Network
Kevin Higgins: Advice NI
Trása Canavan: Barnardo’s