Abstract EN:

The groups and organizations that strived to improve women's situation in society in the irish republic, from 1968 to 1995, took over the struggle for equality launched by the suffragettes at the beginning of the century. In this catholic country, during the second wave of feminism, this reformist current had a leading role and quickly superseded the radical liberation movement, which fought to have divorce, contraception and abortion, in particular, legalised and only had a prominent role in the 1970s, when it initiated loud and provocative action sporadically. The early institutionalization of the women's movement allowed the groups and organizations to obtain modest funds from the governement. Their moderate approach, their altogether low profile, at the negociating table with conservative-minded political leaders account for the fact that major reforms as regards social security rights, as well as employment and individual rights, were in fact imposed on the irish governement by european authorities. The recent mushrooming of locally-based women's groups reflects the emergence of working class feminism whose action makes itself mainly felt in the field of education. Yet, the lack of funds generates the creation of a sort of women's ghetto, comparable to that which eats away at the entire feminist action : indeed, this action brings about, in final analysis, a situation in which women move in specific domains, take charge of other women, in the public sphere, without the hierarchy between the sexes being challenged.