SDLP Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin has said that figures provided by the Training for Women Network demonstrate that the women’s sector in Derry has been left behind.
Organisations have been severely impacted by the loss of the European Social Fund and the failure of the UK Government’s replacement fund to meet demand.
Comparing women-specific initiatives by Council area, the figures reveal that Derry City & Strabane Council area received £0 of funding, compared to Belfast receiving £1.3million and other areas receiving hundreds of thousands of pounds from the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund’s economic inactivity competition.
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Ms McLaughlin met with the Training for Women Network last week to discuss the issue.
The Foyle MLA said: "Our city has some of the highest levels of economic inactivity in the whole of the North and it is well documented that women make up a large proportion of the economically inactive population, in part due to caring responsibilities and the lack of affordable childcare.
"It is therefore extremely disappointing that the British Government’s replacement for European funding has totally failed to direct investment to the people who need it most, despite assurances from the Minister that the funding is designed to tackle economic inactivity across Northern Ireland.
"For months, I have been raising with the relevant Minister the need to target such investment on a sub-regional level and ensure that it reaches those furthest from the labour market.
"These figures show in black and white how we have been left behind in Derry by the total failure of the Department for Levelling Up. I will be taking this issue forward and working with the organisations affected to make the case for investment in the services that have provided life-changing work for decades in our city.
"The Government must be held accountable for this appalling state of affairs and organisations in our city must be afforded economic justice."
Earlier this year, the failure to continue funding the Women's Centre in Derry, leading to the loss of several jobs with more at risk, had been met with disgust.
In a statement published on social media, a Women's Centre spokesperson said: "We have had devastating news today that our ESF funding is not being replaced! As a result this impacts the employment and education services we have been offering for over 10 years to the women of Derry!
"We also today have to say goodbye to six of our amazing skilled colleagues and friends."
The centre branded the decision a "disgrace" and "not good enough".
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