Launch of community-led Zero Tolerance pledge to end violence against women – Mary Lou McDonald TD
15 April 2025
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “Today, dozens of community groups, businesses, sporting organisations, artists and musicians from across Dublin Central have come together to launch the Zero Tolerance pledge, which states that violence against women is not tolerated in their organisation or premises.”
Ms. McDonald said:
“Over the last number of months, I have been working with groups across Dublin Central on a community-led campaign which asks organisations to declare that their premises have a policy of Zero Tolerance when it comes to Violence Against Women, and that they display the pledge publicly.
“The pledge has already been taken up by dozens of community groups, businesses and sporting organisations. People from all walks of life are involved, young and old, women and men, poets, musicians, artists, filmmakers, and sports people.
“As part of the campaign, a Zero Tolerance badge is being distributed and local artists have painted murals in King Street and at Dalymount Park with many more planned.
“This is about every community working together to tackle a culture that persists, perpetrates, facilitates and normalises violence and coercive control against women. It is one way in which local communities can help bring about a real change in our society that ensures women and girls can feel safe and be safe.
“The campaign in Dublin Central is the first step. Our intention is to roll-out this campaign right across Ireland with local communities at the very centre. This is about positive community action to make life safer for our mothers, our daughters, our sisters, our aunts, our friends, our neighbours, for the women we know and the women we’ve yet to meet. Women and girls have the right to be safe everywhere – on our streets, in our homes, in our workplaces and in our communities.
“Our campaign brings people together to stand up for that principle, to make a pledge that violence against women and coercive control is not tolerated here in this place, that we want a better future for all.”
