Group

It was recognised ‘conference of the Anti-Amendment Campaign that the fight for still in its early the amendment that the conservatives in preparing to see situation of women being second class citizens tied to the kitchen sinks and responsible only as mothers and wives.

There is little solace The last 10 years of in the fact that 30% womens. struggles have of those who voted shown that unless there rejected the amendment, The problem is_ that women are being pushed out of any central role in society all the time.At work they are generally in less well paid jobs.They are subjected to all kinds of harrasment,they are often passed over for promotion in favour of less experiénced men, not to mention the abrse they might receive for being ‘mere women.’ Those who work in_ the home are _ isolated from any kind of stimulus and consequently have little confidence in dealing with issues outside of their cnvironment. Young women, including those who are studying, are often economically forced to live at home and so are not able to have the opportunity for developing at the wind up women’s rights is stages.The fact that was put at all shows ireland are a return to the are broad mass mobilisations the reforms that are gained are only cosmetic. The leadership of the AAC, did not prioritise the involvement of the workers movement and consequently had a _ middle class profile and content which will probably fragment now that the amendment is written into the constitution.

However significant gains were made during the campaign: the broader forces active on democratic rights, growth of the feminist layer in the womens movement, ext- ' ension of pro-choice forces and a bigger pro-divorce lobby, these gains must be consolidated.

The immediate fight is to mobilise the ‘NO!’ vote behind the Divorce campaign. This campaign can be built on a democratic and mass action orientunable.to fit in such numbers. danger be averted.

PAT CORCORAN DIVORCE The Divorce Action Group is to establish constituency groups to organise the campaign for divorce rights. This was announced at a meeting in Dublin on Wednesday, 21 September 1983, attended by about 20C people. The turn-out surprised the organisers of the meeting, who had booked a room There was a good deal of enthusiasm at the meeting on the need to get the campaign onte the streets but the platform was more cautious and proposals from PD to capitalise on the Amendment campaign by holding a major demonstration before Christmas was rejected. Instead, it was decided to restrict the campaign to a series of public meetings.

The timid approach of the Divorce Action Group will not b e enough to make any real headway in the. fight. for. divorce rights. Opinion polis have suggested that up’ to”

meee two thirds of voters are in favour of legal divorce but there is a real danger that the Dail will settle for a half-measure such as civil nullity. Only by taking the campaign onto the streets and into the communities can this