Married women in Northern Ireland are losing out under the New Deal scheme, according to the leader of the Women's Coalition, Ms Monica McWilliams.
Ms McWilliams called for urgent changes in the programme, part of the British government's Welfare to Work initiative, which aims to get long-term unemployed people back to work.
Ms McWilliams said the programme was designed for those unemployed in England rather than in Northern Ireland, and did not take account of older people.
"Unlike the younger age group, many of these unemployed people have families or have settled down in their communities and cannot move to take up short-term job placements or training opportunities elsewhere.
"The evidence available shows this is likely to hit harder those living west of the Bann where subsidised, permanent jobs are less available," she said.