20/10/2026
📢 Educate, Empower, Protect: Supporting Schools to Address Violence Against Women and Girls Conference
The PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Project, in partnership with the Education Authority Equality and Human Rights Team, is pleased to invite you to attend Educate, Empower, Protect: Supporting Schools to Address Violence Against Women and Girls, taking place on Thursday 5 November 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Belfast.
This important event will bring together school leaders, teachers, policymakers, researchers, and specialist organisations to explore the critical role education can play in preventing violence against women and girls and promoting safe, respectful and inclusive school communities. The conference supports the Northern Ireland Executive's Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and Girls and will focus on how schools can contribute to prevention and early intervention through education, positive relationships and whole-school approaches. Through expert input, discussion and collaboration, participants will consider how schools can help challenge harmful attitudes, foster a culture of respect and support young people to build healthy relationships.
Featured Speakers
Dr Siobhán McAlister, Reader in Criminology at Queen's University Belfast. Dr McAlister's research focuses on children's rights, youth justice, violence and victimisation and she led the research commissioned by The Executive Office examining girls' and young women's experiences of violence in Northern Ireland, which informed the Executive's Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and Girls.
Dame Siobhan Keegan, Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, who will provide a judicial perspective on Violence Against Women and Girls, reflecting on the impact of violence and abuse within society, the importance of safeguarding rights and access to justice, and the role of education in helping to create a safer future for women and girls.
What to Expect
Participants will have the opportunity to:
• Explore the evidence, research and policy drivers underpinning the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls agenda.
• Hear from leading experts working across education, academia, and the justice sector.
• Learn about practical approaches that schools can adopt to promote healthy, respectful relationships.
• Explore how educational settings can contribute to prevention and early intervention.
• Network with colleagues from across the education sector.
• Share your views on how to best support schools.
• Connect directly with the eight organisations funded through the Regional Delivery Fund. Representatives from Nexus, Women's Aid Federation Northern Ireland (WAFNI), Women's Resource and Development Agency (WRDA), Relate NI, White Ribbon NI, Youth Action NI, NSPCC and Barnardo's NI will be available throughout the day to showcase their programmes and resources, discuss the support available to schools and explore opportunities for partnership working to address Violence Against Women and Girls.
A dedicated networking session will enable delegates to meet representatives from these organisations, discuss the needs of their school communities, and explore opportunities for future partnership working.
Looking Beyond the Conference
This conference forms part of a wider programme of support for schools/settings. Following the event, schools/settings will be invited to register an interest in participating in an innovative programme designed to support the development and implementation of a whole-school approach to addressing Violence Against Women and Girls.
Participating schools/settings will receive practical support, access to specialist expertise, resources and guidance to help translate learning from the conference into meaningful action within their own educational settings. The pilot will support schools/settings to develop sustainable approaches that promote equality, respect, safety and positive relationship education across the school community.
Venue Information
Crowne Plaza Belfast
117 Milltown Road
Belfast
BT8 7XP
Parking: Complimentary on-site parking is available for all delegates attending the event.
Registration
To register your place, please complete the registration form using the link below:
https://tinyurl.com/2pwrbsfe
Sub- Cover will be provided to Peaceplus Aspire schools/settings
We hope you can join us for what promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking day of learning, collaboration and action as we work together to support schools in addressing Violence Against Women and Girls.
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Belfast - Thursday 5th November 2026 - 9:30am - 3pm GDPR Notice: The purpose for which the PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Project requires the personal data provided by you is for contact purposes regarding the PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Project and verification of funded projects, TPL and sub...
