Your New Council - What Do You Need to Know?  -  20/02/2007 _______________________________________________________________________ Tuesday 20th February saw Northern Ireland Rural Women's Network and Rural Community Network Rural Women’s Sectoral Programme co-host, 'Your New Council-What do You Need to Know?' The stimulating panel of speakers included Heather Moorhead, NILGA, Brian Campfield, NIPSA, Diana Stewart, Women in Local Councils, Kate McCullough, NIWEP and Claire Linney, Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council. Diana Stewart, Women in Local Councils stated "Women are currently significantly under-represented in local council with at present only one of the twenty-six councils here having a female Chief Executive and only 16% of senior management positions being held by a woman". Kate Mc Cullough, NIWEP (Northern Ireland Women's European Platform) said: "We must continue to pressurise our councils, councillors and political parties to strive for Gender equality as the Review progresses and new structures are put in place". Louise Coyle, Development Officer for Training at NIRWN told us "NIRWN's mission is to advance rural women's equality and participation in society". She continued by saying that "NIRWN recognises that inequality for rural women and women generally, is based on and sustained by structures and systems which limit personal freedom; NIRWN's concern is that the opportunity presented by the Review of Public Administration to redress some of these inequalities is in danger of not being taken. Women make up 51% of the population here yet are significantly under-represented in public life, NIRWN feel the review presents both a challenge and an opportunity to increase the participation of under-represented groups in public life and as the strategic support network for rural women we are keen that the review ensures that equality and equity are to the fore in public policy and decision-making in the future".