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ABSTRACT: This article explores changes in public policy and services with a strong gender dimension in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland since the Good Friday Agreement, in terms of an observed gap between actual policy and service provision and activists' views. On abortion services, welfare benefits, levels of poverty, and gender recognition and transgender rights, the Republic's policy framework and supports are more focused on gender equality than the equivalent regimes in Northern Ireland. Perceptions of equality issues have changed in the aftermath of the abortion and marriage equality referenda in the South, but the level of detailed knowledge of policy on the 'other' side of the border is low, even for those active in women's organisations. Cross-border perceptions were often not supported by contemporary evidence. This comparative analysis shows that in the Republic, policy and practice have produced stronger gender equality outcomes in almost every area of the women's rights agenda.

ABSTRACT: This article investigates cross-border engagement between women's organisations and other groups working on gender equality policy. It draws on interviews with activists and practitioners and two seminars—one in Belfast and one in Dublin. It is set in the context of the post-Brexit debate on the future of the island of Ireland, and the international Women, Peace and Security agenda's emphasis on the role of women and the centrality of a gender equality perspective to peacebuilding. Participants had very positive attitudes to cross-border collaboration, but in practice there was very little cross-border engagement between groups, and this lack of activity predates Brexit. The key barriers to cross-border work were perceived to be post-Brexit political turmoil, a lack of appropriate funding and a lack of knowledge of policy differences between the two jurisdictions. Participants had very little knowledge of the 'other' jurisdiction and their views were strongly shaped by historic stereotypes.