This research, undertaken by the National Women's Council in partnership with Community Work Ireland, involved a series of radical listening workshops with particular groups of marginalised women who we know to have significant health needs, but who are at greater risk of having poor experience of services.

The radical listening workshops were designed to provide a platform for marginalised women to share their experiences of the Irish healthcare system in a safe and enabling environment. From the Women’s Health in Ireland evidence review, we know that there are multiple groups of women in Ireland who have distinct healthcare needs but who face barriers to accessing good care. Many of these women are represented across multiple groups, and even within a group, each women’s experience is unique and health needs and outcomes can differ.

To better understand the diversity of needs, four workshops took place over Zoom in June 2021 with a total of 50 women taking part from both urban and rural areas. Based on the evidence review and the ability of the National Women’s Council and Community Work Ireland to recruit participants via organisations they were already connected with and trusted, the workshops took place with:
• Disabled Women
• Women of Minority Ethnicity
• Women Living in Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Communities
• Women Survivors of Violence and Abuse