A women’s charity in Northern Ireland has been given a £100,000 funding boost to empower female voices in public debate. The Women’s Resource and Development Agency (WRDA), which is based in Belfast but works across Northern Ireland, will run a programme encouraging women’s participation in forums where decisions are made that affect communities. The award was announced by Northern Ireland Office (NIO) minister Baroness Ruth Anderson, who said democracy “thrives when all of us genuinely have the opportunity and skills to make our voices heard”. The three-year grant comes from the UK Government’s Engagement for Change Fund, an NIO initiative to support local communities. It stems from the Connect Fund, which has so far awarded £500,000 to community and voluntary organisations across Northern Ireland, and the forthcoming £1 million Community Partnership Fund.