The Women's Mental Health Network will hold a webinar ‘Women’s Mental Health and Covid-19: Opportunities for Change and Advocacy’ on Friday, 12th March, 14.00-15.30.

We hope to explore some of what is known at present about the gendered impacts and implications of the pandemic one year on, with a particular focus on women in later life, women experiencing mental health difficulties, and pertinent social determinants of mental health.

Joining the event will be:

• Dr Clíona Ni Cheallaigh - COVID19 Women's Voices, Consultant in General Medicine and Infectious Diseases, and Clinical Lead for Inclusion Health research at St James's Hospital
• Dr Mark Ward - Research Fellow, The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin
• Fiona Coyle - CEO, Mental Health Reform

We would hope that this session spotlights for attendees the gender inequalities that have arisen and been exacerbated by the pandemic and, most importantly, opportunities for social change, advocacy, and action as we move towards the recovery phase of the pandemic.

The Women’s Mental Health Network (WMHN) is a joint initiative from the National Women’s Council and St Patrick’s Mental Health Services. It is a network of people and organisations with a committed interest in women’s mental health issues. The Network includes people from a range of backgrounds including mental health and other health professionals, community and family workers and organisations, women with lived experience of mental health difficulties and using mental health services, and mental health advocates.

Please advise Susan McCormack, susanmcc@nwci.ie if you have any special requirements, e.g. ISL interpretation, by Monday 8th March. This will help us in our preparations for the event. A provisional booking for a sign language interpreter has been made but will only be confirmed, if a week in advance, we have confirmed the attendance of people requiring this service.