New Regional Advisory Committees on Violence Against Women
Plans are well advanced for the first meetings of the new Regional Advisory Committees on Violence Against Women. The Committees, which are supported administratively by the HSE, are being established in eight regions. Membership is drawn from State organisations and NGOs with an appropriate interest or expertise in the area of violence against women. Independent chairpersons have been appointed by the HSE. The remit of a Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) is to:
Promote effective linkage, interagency collaboration and utilisation of existing resources, personnel and knowledge within the region.
Identify and resolve where possible barriers to effective response within the region and inform the NSC where local resolution is not possible.
Foster partnership working within and between the statutory and non-statutory service providers in the region.
Monitor the implementation of national strategy within the region.
Collaborate to ensure the provision and development of services is in line with national policy.
Be a forum for consultation and advice on violence against women issues.
Be a forum for communication between national and local level and vice versa.
Be a source of advice for constituent members and the NSC.
Carry out tasks allocated by the NSC from time to time (e.g. development of protocols, guidelines etc.)
RACs will meet four times per year. Each RAC is represented at the NSC by their Chairperson with the vice-chairperson or HSE designated officer to the RAC the preferred substitute member.
