Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

19.13
19.14
19.15
19.16
The Government’s Action Plan contains 35 wide-ranging proposals, which require partnership
working with and between government departments. It is too early to comment on the
effectiveness of the Action Plan, but a review of IDVAs in 2009 estimated that there were less
than half the number of trained advisors needed to give adequate coverage for all high risk
cases in the UK. Research undertaken 24 indicates that there are still gaps in provision which is a
continuing cause for concern.
Recommendations:
• Allocate adequate resources within government budgets for the implementation
of the Action Plan at all appropriate levels
• A 4 nations Independent Taskforce should be established, reporting to relevant
Ministerial Groups on VAWG, to examine the relationship between VAWG and
mental health, suicide and self-harm; access to education and other services; and
the impact of cuts in public spending and legal aid on women and girls. It should
also examine legal and statutory responses, including that of the police and social
services
On 8th June 2012 the Government signed up to the Council of Europe’s Convention on
Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (CAHVIO). 25 This
is welcome as signing the Convention reflects the Government’s commitment to tackling
VAWG; we urge them to ratify it without delay! The UPR examination in 2012 also urged the
Government to take more effective measures to combat all forms of VAWG and to ensure that
the perpetrators of violence are held to account and punished. 26
Recommendation:
The Government should take steps to ratify CAHVIO as soon as possible
Localism and VAWG
The localism agenda and devolution of responsibility and funding to Local Authorities is a
particular concern in terms of provision for VAWG. 31% of Local Authority funding to the VAWG
sector was cut between 2010/11 and 2011/12, a reduction from £7.8m to £5.4m.
National level policy has insufficient traction on local decision making and there is a general
discord between national policy commitments on the one hand, and devolution of decision
making to local areas on the other. 27 We are concerned about the lack of mandatory targets
related to VAWG against which the performance of Local Authorities can be monitored. This is
at odds with the statutory Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) and guidance from the Equality
and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) that Local Authorities must prioritise tackling the
causes and consequences of VAWG under the Duty. 28 The Government should introduce wide
ranging and comprehensive indicators on VAWG against which to monitor efforts to prevent
and respond to VAWG by Local Authorities and other local partnerships. 29 Data should also be
24. Howarth, E. et al (2009) Safety in Numbers: A Multi-site Evaluation of Independent Violence Advisor Services. The Henry Smith Charity and
CAADA: London http://www.caada.org.uk/policy/Safety_in_Numbers_full_report.pdf
25. Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (CAHVIO) http://conventions.
coe.int/Treaty/EN/Treaties/Html/210.htm
26. Ministry of Justice, Universal Periodic Review http://www.justice.gov.uk/human-rights/universal-periodic-review Accessed: 21/04/13
27. Rights of Women (2010) Measuring up? UK compliance with international commitments on violence against women in England and Wales.
ROW: London http://www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/pdfs/Measuring_up_A_report_by_Rights_of_Women.pdf
28. Equality and Human Rights Commission (2012) The Essential Guide to the Public Sector Equality Duty. EHRC: London http://www.
equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/EqualityAct/PSED/essential_guide_update.pdf
29. Rights of Women (2010) Measuring up? UK compliance with international commitments on violence against women in England and Wales.
ROW: London http://www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/pdfs/Measuring_up_A_report_by_Rights_of_Women.pdf
Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013 173