Women parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) met at the Northern Ireland Assembly in Belfast for the 12th CWP BIM Regional conference from 8 to 10 February 2026.

Ann Corlett MHK and Dr Michelle Haywood MHK joined women parliamentarians from the United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales, Northen Ireland, Malta, Guernsey, Jersey and Sark for the conference held under the theme: ‘Power and Peace: Protecting Our Mental Health in Public Life.’

The event served as a forum for delegates to explore the unique mental health challenges faced by women in politics and featured sessions on a wide range of topics, including online abuse, emotional labour, navigating work/life boundaries and the pressures of public scrutiny.

Addressing delegates ahead of the conference Michelle McIlveen, MLA, a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly CPA Branch Executive Committee and CWP BIM Regional Steering Committee said: ‘These conferences bring together women with deep experience of public life, but they also create a space for openness, honesty and mutual support.’ She went on to say: ‘A central outcome of our time together will be the development and launch of the Wellbeing Pledge for Women in Public Life. This pledge will be shaped by your voices and your experiences, and it represents a shared commitment — not only to individual wellbeing, but to the cultures and structures that surround women in political life.’

Reflecting on the conference Mrs Corlett said: ‘It was a privilege to join colleagues at the CWP conference in Belfast, sharing valuable insights and strengthening our commitment to effective, inclusive representation.

‘It also provided me with an opportunity to organise meetings outside the conference schedule to discuss mental health, progress on suicide prevention strategies and disability sport. 

‘The conference provided inspiring discussions and meaningful collaboration that will help strengthen our work at home.’

Dr Haywood said: ‘It’s always a delight to travel to Belfast and we enjoyed a gracious welcome from our hosts in the Northern Ireland Assembly Parliament Buildings.  The most valuable part of any CPA trip is always the opportunity to interact with our peers from other jurisdictions about the challenges they face in public life and I am grateful for the many full and frank discussions that we had.  We could broadly split the conference into two themes: one supporting our personal experience in public service and the other examining the role of the institutions that we work in.  I have returned from the conference with several ideas to pursue, especially around the need to protect all parliamentarians from abuse to enable them to function more effectively in our parliament.’

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All related costs will be published on the Tynwald website in due course.

For further information contact:

Joann Corkish
Deputy Clerk of Tynwald
Legislative Buildings
Douglas
IM1 3PW
Tel: 01624 685500
j.corkish@tynwald.org.im