AQW 40674/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 16/02/2026
Answered On Date: 20/03/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health (i) for an update on his Department’s Equality Action Plan 2025-2030; and (ii) to detail how the plan will address gender discrimination in healthcare settings.

Answer:

The Department of Health published its 5-year Equality Action Plan (EAP) 2025-2030 on 19 December 2025. The first annual review of this plan will begin in April 2026.

The EAP 2025-2030 identified four priority areas for action in relation to gender inequality. These include:

women and girls being disproportionately affected by domestic and sexual abuse;

barriers experienced by some women in accessing healthcare;

men being disproportionately impacted in the justice system in relation to physical and mental health; and

men being disproportionately affected by substance misuse.

While the actions linked to these priority areas are not designed as direct responses to individual cases of gender-based discrimination, they include relevant departmental frameworks, plans and strategies aimed at addressing systemic causes of gender inequality and improving outcomes across these areas.

Where evidence of genderbased discrimination arises within healthcare settings, it can be considered by the relevant policy areas and provider organisations under existing governance and complaints structures.