Goretti Horgan facts for kids

Goretti Horgan is an Irish activist and a teacher who helps people understand how society works. She teaches about social policy at Ulster University in Northern Ireland.

About Goretti Horgan

Goretti Horgan was born in Cork, a city in Ireland. She was named after a saint called Maria Goretti. After going to university, she lived in England for a while. Later, she came back to Dublin, where she started working to support women's rights.

Before she became a university teacher, Goretti worked as a researcher. She helped organizations like Save the Children and the National Children's Bureau. These groups work to make life better for children. She also worked as a community helper in Derry city and County Londonderry, supporting local people. In 1986, she moved to Northern Ireland. Before that, she worked in television production for RTÉ in Dublin, helping to make TV shows.

From 2005 to 2008, Goretti was the leader of the Northern Ireland Anti Poverty Network (NIAPN). This group works to help people who are struggling with poverty. She is still a part of the board that guides this important organization.

Working for Rights

Goretti Horgan is well-known for her work supporting women's rights. In the early 1980s, she was part of the first group in Ireland that campaigned for women's choices. She also helped start the Anti Amendment Campaign. This group worked against a change to the Irish Constitution that would have limited women's rights. She later became the main organizer for this campaign.

In Northern Ireland, Goretti helped create the Derry Women's Right to Choose Group and Alliance for Choice. She also works hard to protect the rights of children and people with disabilities.

Family and Activism

Goretti Horgan has been a member of the Socialist Workers Party since the early 1980s. Her partner is Eamonn McCann, who is a writer, journalist, and also an activist. They live in the Bogside area of Derry with their daughter, Matty. Goretti was also the official leader of the Socialist Environmental Alliance until it ended in 2008.

Standing Up for Peace

Goretti Horgan has stood up for peace. In January 2009, she was one of nine women who went to a building in Derry belonging to a company called Raytheon. They were protesting against war actions happening at the time. The women were accused of breaking in and causing damage, but they argued in court that they were trying to stop the company from being involved in war crimes. To prove their point, they showed that war crimes had happened during the conflict. The jury listened to their arguments and found them not guilty of the charges.

In March 2022, Goretti was one of 151 feminists from around the world who signed a statement called Feminist Resistance Against War: A Manifesto. This showed their support for a group of Russian feminists who were also protesting against war.