Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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12.65 those who are accessing care for HIV in the UK are women. 156 BMER women are disproportionally affected by HIV: in 2011 an estimated 20,200 African-born women were living with HIV in the UK. 157 (See Appendix: 24 for further information) In spite of the advancement of Anti Retro Viral therapy, which has greatly improved life expectancy, women living with HIV in the UK still face a huge burden of stigma and discrimination, including accessing healthcare services, 158 and are extremely vulnerable to gender-based violence. 159 (See General Recommendation 19) Recommendations: • Train clinicians working with women who have suffered violence to be aware of their clients’ HIV-risk status and engage in crisis intervention • Integrate gender violence into the national Sexual Health Programme 160 156. National AIDS Trust, HIV diagnoses 2012 http://www.nat.org.uk/HIV-Facts/Statistics/Latest-UK-statistics/HIV-Diagnoses.aspx Accessed: 10/04/13 157. Health Protection Agency (2011) HIV in the United Kingdom: 2011 report http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/ HPAweb_C/1317131685847 Page 5 158. PozFem UK (2008) Women HIV and Sexual Health in the UK http://www.poz-fem-uk.org/docs/WomenHIVandSexualHealth.pdf 159. Petretti, S. et al. (2012) Forthcoming. 160. Public Health England, Sexual Health Programme http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListName/ Page/1201094614842 Accessed: 16/04/13 128 Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013
13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Article 13 - Social and economic benefits Women typically rely on benefits and tax credits more than men for a wide range of reasons - because they have pregnancy and maternity needs, because they are more likely to be the primary carers for the elderly, disabled and children (where they are far more likely to be lone parents), because they are more likely to be victims of violence, and because of their relative economic inequality and the feminisation of poverty (due to their lower earnings and assets). In fact, on average, one-fifth of a women’s income in the UK is made up of welfare payments and tax credits compared to one-tenth for men. Thus benefits make up twice as much of women’s income than men’s. 1 It is crucial therefore that the Government - in line with its duties under domestic equality law - conducts rigorous assessments on the impact of all proposed changes to welfare on equality between women and men before any such changes are implemented, in order that the full impact can be understood and steps taken to mitigate against adverse impacts wherever possible. Since 2010, a staggering £14.9bn worth of cuts per year have been made to welfare payments, and analysis shows that 74% of these savings are being taken from women’s incomes. 2 These cuts are resulting in far reaching, multiple and severe implications for women - many of which have not been identified by the Government (as impact assessments have either been insufficiently robust, or omitted completely). Rising unemployment, falling wages and cuts to benefits are pushing many women from a situation of being able to just about make ends meet into financial hardship and poverty. 3 Early research and the reported experiences of women around the UK have demonstrated that the recession and austerity are disproportionately impacting on women. Changes to welfare are particularly affecting already vulnerable groups, such as BME women, single mothers, who make up 92% of all single parents, and older women. 4 We are very concerned to note that none of these changes have been referred to in the Government’s 7th Periodic Report. During the last UPR 5 there was a recommendation to provide more resources for reforming the welfare system in order to make it better able to tackle poverty and worklessness, and reduce negative impact on vulnerable groups. However, this inequality has been compounded with each Budget since 2010. There are also over 1,200 public bodies across the UK delivering important and essential public services but these are facing severe cuts impacting on their ability to support the most vulnerable. Recommendations: • The Government must develop - in consultation with the voluntary sector - mitigating actions to lessen identified impacts of the current welfare reform and commit to undertaking full gender equality impact assessments of all welfare changes announced • The Treasury must adhere at all times to the requirements of domestic equality 1. The Fawcett Society (2006) Who Benefits?: A gender analysis of the UK benefits and tax credits system. Fawcett: London 2. Martinson, J. (2012) ‘Women paying the price for Osborne’s austerity package’, The Guardian, 30th March 2012 http://www.guardian.co.uk/ lifeandstyle/2012/mar/30/women-paying-price-osborne-austerity 3. Women’s Resource Centre (2012) Factsheet: Women and the cuts 2012 WRC: London http://thewomensresourcecentre.org.uk/wpcontent/uploads/women-and-the-cuts.pdf 4. Beckford, M. (2012), ‘Single-parent families reach two billion’. The Telegraph, 20th January 2012 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/ mother-tongue/9025234/Single-parent-families-reach-two-million.html 5. Ministry of Justice, Universal Periodic Review http://www.justice.gov.uk/human-rights/universal-periodic-review Accessed: 21/04/13 Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013 129
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Women’s equality in the UK - A he
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Women’s equality in the UK - A he
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Appendices (online only) Appendix 1
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• the continued discrimination ag
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• Develop a common model of analy
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Article 9 - Nationality: One third
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investment in social infrastructure
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and increase the marginalisation of
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have been no prosecutions in Englan
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1 2 3 4 5 Introduction This is a Un
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10 11 12 13 housing crisis, a ‘lo
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1.1 1.2 1.3 Article 1 - Overarching
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1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 Women’
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1.17 1.18 1.19 Young women We are a
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2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 consult to “remov
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2.12 2.13 discrimination”. Howeve
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2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 worsen gen
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2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 CEDAW and the l
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3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 would “increase
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3.15 3.16 3.17 and accountable EHRC
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3.22 3.23 3.24 report is was partic
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classes, migrants, and Gypsy, Trave
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the institutional discrimination an
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5.5 5.6 5.7 Case study: 8 Sandra li
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5.12 5.13 5.14 issue. A more approp
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6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Article 6 - Exploit
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6.9 6.10 6.11 to the protection and
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6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 Office’s own
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6.24 6.25 6.26 women and increase t
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6.31 6.32 6.33 6.34 infrequent lap
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7.1 7.2 Article 7 - Political and p
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7.7 7.8 7.9 7.10 The House of Lords
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7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 Recommenda
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7.21 7.22 7.23 Political representa
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9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 Article
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9.9 9.10 Mainstreaming gender in th
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9.15 9.16 9.17 biased views towards
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9.21 9.22 9.23 9.24 women. 47 (See
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Page 81 and 82: 9.39 9.40 9.41 9.42 • Do not redu
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Page 97 and 98: 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Article 11 - Em
Page 99 and 100: 11.8 11.9 are 754,000 women working
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Page 105 and 106: 11.31 11.32 11.33 Introducing more
Page 107 and 108: 11.37 11.38 Case study: 83 Jasmine
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Page 111 and 112: 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 of women and en
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Page 127: 12.60 12.61 12.62 12.63 12.64 hospi
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Page 159 and 160: 15.28 15.29 15.30 15.31 has not pro
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19.38 19.39 19.40 perpetrators thro
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19.43 19.44 19.45 Support for victi
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19.49 19.50 19.51 19.52 Recommendat
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19.57 19.58 19.59 19.60 BMER VAWG p
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19.62 19.63 19.64 19.65 VAWG in hea
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19.70 19.71 19.72 Invisibility of s
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19.77 19.78 19.79 A number of repor
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19.85 19.86 means more provision. T
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Annex 1: The Devolved Administratio
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to 41.8% of rural men. 16 Rural are
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Annex 2: The UK’s relationship wi
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Annex 3: UK reservations and declar
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ESA - Employment and Support Allowa
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Annex 5: Acknowledgements Many than
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Women’s Resource Centre is suppor
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