Women’s health campaigner Vicky Phelan has this morning opened Ireland’s biggest conference for young women.

This year’s FemFest is celebrating 100 years of women’s suffrage – and the centenary of the first Dáil Éireann.

Over 200 young women are speaking at the event on the importance of the women in leadership and why young women in Ireland need more female role models.

During her opening speech this morning, Ms Phelan described herself as an “accidental leader” – and said young people need to understand that leadership can come in any form.

Stand up

Ahead of her speech, she told Newstalk that she hopes her story will inspire more young women to take a stand if they feel that something is not right.

 “I think if you get them early and encourage them early at a young age – I have a 13-year-old daughter myself and she is very like me, she asks lots of questions – but I think that is the way to start them off,” she said.

“Start as you mean to go on; get them to start thinking, if something is not right, go with your gut.

“That is what I have done all my life; I have always gone with my gut instinct and if things are not right, I question it.

“It is just to instil that in them – that you know your body.”

FemFest speakers on the boardwalk in Dublin City Centre, 19-01-2019. Image: Adrian Harmon/Newstalk

Meanwhile, Orla O’Connor, Director of the National Women's Council of Ireland said FemFest is a “culmination of events that take place throughout the year.”

“Workshops where we are talking to young women and they are telling us their concerns,” she said.

“We know that issues in relation to sexual violence and sexual harassment will come up.

“Issues in terms of leadership and how they want to see more young women in leadership positions – and they want to see young women across the board in leadership positions.”

Role models

She warned that, “You can’t be what you can’t see” with a deficit of female role models throughout Irish society.

“The young women here today are the leaders of tomorrow,” she said.

“They want their voices and experiences heard and to be portrayed as strong, independent people in the media; to aspire to senior decision making positions and to live in a world where they don’t have to navigate limiting gender stereotypes. 

“The young women here today are our next generation of role models and, together with NWCI; we will smash glass ceilings and gender stereotypes and shape a new Ireland for young women.” 

These attendees said the event is a great way to hear the views of some of the women who help shape Irish society:

With reporting from Adrian Harmon