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Bronagh Hinds
Biography
Bronagh Hinds (born 1951) founded DemocraShe in 2000 to empower women in politics, policy influence and peace-building. She is involved in Women in Local Councils, the Women's Policy Group and the Women's Budget Group. She participated in the 1996-98 Good Friday Agreement negotiations for the Women's Coalition and was the Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission for N Ireland 1999-2003.
She was a Senior Practitioner Fellow at Queen's University Institute of Governance for six years following twenty years in the voluntary sector as director of Gingerbread NI, regional director of Oxfam and director of the Ulster People's College. Active in the Northern Ireland Women's Rights Movement in the 1970s, she was the founder and chair of the Northern Ireland Women's European Platform 1988-1998. She served as a Commissioner on the Northern Ireland Local Government Staff Commission 2005-2010 and the final Northern Ireland Commissioner on the UK Women's National Commission 2007-2010.
Bronagh Hinds, co-founder of the Women's Coalition, was its director of elections for the peace talks and its chief advisor during the Good Friday Agreement negotiations. As Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission, she oversaw the implementation of the Agreement's equality and good relations commitments. She formed DemocraShe to empower women as political and civic leaders. She has trained women in all political parties and worked with the Assembly, local government and non government organisations. Bronagh served as senior advisor supporting women in the UN-led negotiations on Syria and has assisted governments, the EU, the UN and NATO with fulfilling peace and security commitments for women.
In 1974 Bronagh became the first female President of Queen's University Students' Union. Following university she provided strategic leadership in the voluntary sector, facilitated conflict resolution and fostered networking between Europe and N.lreland. In founding the Women's Platform in 1988 she strengthened collaboration between women in Ireland North and South and with sister organisations in Scotland, Wales and England, and accessed European and international opportunities for civil society. She served as the N.lreland Commissioner on the Women's National Commission.
Object
Some of the sitters have provided objects that came up in discussions with Hannah Starkey when sitting for their portraits. These personal selections speak to their work, activism and impact, and give insight into the meaning behind the project.
This is the award that Bronagh received when chosen as UK Woman of Europe in 1999. The configuration of the hands signify peace and friendship across the EU.