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Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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Introduction<br />

This is a United K<strong>in</strong>gdom (<strong>UK</strong>) shadow report submitted to <strong>the</strong> United Nations Committee on<br />

<strong>the</strong> Elim<strong>in</strong>ation of Discrim<strong>in</strong>ation Aga<strong>in</strong>st Women by <strong>the</strong> CEDAW Work<strong>in</strong>g Group <strong>UK</strong>.<br />

The report has been <strong>in</strong>formed by consultation events with non-governmental organisations<br />

(NGOs) from across <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong> throughout 2011 - 2012, submissions of <strong>in</strong>formation and research<br />

collected from 2008-2013, orig<strong>in</strong>al qualitative research carried out with focus groups across<br />

England, discussions with academics, advocacy groups and NGO service providers from across<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>. Significant differences <strong>in</strong> policy and outcomes across <strong>UK</strong> jurisdictions are identified <strong>in</strong><br />

Annex 1. In ga<strong>the</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g evidence, every effort has been made to reference published research,<br />

quantitative and qualitative data. However it should be noted that <strong>the</strong> lack of data disaggregated<br />

by gender and o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>equality</strong> characteristics <strong>in</strong> some areas means that sometimes we<br />

were unable to provide <strong>the</strong> depth we would have liked. Specific references to articles <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Convention on <strong>the</strong> Elim<strong>in</strong>ation of all forms of Discrim<strong>in</strong>ation Aga<strong>in</strong>st Women (CEDAW)<br />

are noted, as are areas of particular concern and policy recommendations are <strong>in</strong>cluded<br />

throughout. The structure and head<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> report respond directly to <strong>the</strong> Government’s 7th<br />

Periodic Report. 1<br />

This report is <strong>the</strong> collective effort of various writers and submissions which have been<br />

<strong>in</strong>corporated, a full list of acknowledgements is <strong>in</strong> Annex 6. The scope of <strong>the</strong> report is<br />

necessarily limited but we have tried to <strong>in</strong>clude <strong>in</strong>formation about different groups of women<br />

under each article and have extensive onl<strong>in</strong>e appendices to provide more detailed <strong>in</strong>formation.<br />

The report <strong>in</strong>cludes analysis of progress made on <strong>the</strong> 2008 recommendations, 2 persistent<br />

<strong>in</strong><strong>equality</strong> issues and human rights and <strong>equality</strong> issues emerg<strong>in</strong>g as a result of policy changes<br />

around austerity measures and reform of social protection and particularly how <strong>the</strong>se have<br />

impacted on women’s rights and <strong>health</strong>.<br />

We have focused on women over <strong>the</strong> age of 18 as <strong>the</strong> Convention on <strong>the</strong> Rights of <strong>the</strong> Child<br />

(CRC) 3 covers under 18s and this is not <strong>the</strong> remit of CEDAW, <strong>the</strong>refore throughout <strong>the</strong> report<br />

‘young women’ refers to over 18s but under Article 10 <strong>the</strong>re is some <strong>in</strong>formation on girls <strong>in</strong><br />

school and education policies for under 18s, as this has been <strong>in</strong>cluded by <strong>the</strong> Government<br />

and has an impact on women <strong>in</strong> later life. There is also <strong>in</strong>formation on corporal punishment<br />

under Article 16.<br />

This report endorses and supports <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r shadow reports from <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>, namely <strong>the</strong> report<br />

on older women, 4 and reports from Engender, 5 <strong>the</strong> Scottish <strong>Women’s</strong> Convention, 6 Nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />

Ireland <strong>Women’s</strong> European Platform 7 and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Women’s</strong> Equality Network Wales 8 cover<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

devolved adm<strong>in</strong>istrations as well as a report from <strong>the</strong> Jersey Community Relations Trust (See<br />

1. Government Equalities Office (2011) CEDAW (Convention on <strong>the</strong> Elim<strong>in</strong>ation of all forms of Discrim<strong>in</strong>ation aga<strong>in</strong>st Women) report. United<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gdom’s Seventh Periodic Report. GEO: London http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/equalities/<strong>in</strong>ternational-<strong>equality</strong>/7thcedaw-report?view=B<strong>in</strong>ary<br />

2. CEDAW Committee (2008) Conclud<strong>in</strong>g observations of <strong>the</strong> Committee on <strong>the</strong> Elim<strong>in</strong>ation of Discrim<strong>in</strong>ation Aga<strong>in</strong>st Women: United<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gdom of Great Brita<strong>in</strong> and Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland. Forty-first session http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N09/555/92/PDF/<br />

N0955592.pdf?OpenElement<br />

3. Convention on <strong>the</strong> Rights of <strong>the</strong> Child (CRC) www.unicef.org/crc/<br />

4. Sclater, E. (2012) NGO Thematic Shadow Report: Older <strong>Women’s</strong> Rights <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> United K<strong>in</strong>gdom. Older <strong>Women’s</strong> Network,<br />

Europe and National Alliance of <strong>Women’s</strong> Organisations http://<strong>the</strong>womensresourcecentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/<br />

olderwomensrightsukNGO<strong>the</strong>matic.pdf<br />

5. Engender, CEDAW http://www.engender.org.uk/our-work/european-<strong>in</strong>ternational/cedaw/<br />

6. Scottish <strong>Women’s</strong> Convention, CEDAW http://www.scottishwomensconvention.org/activities/cedaw<br />

7. Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland <strong>Women’s</strong> European Platform http://www.niwep.org/default.asp<br />

8. <strong>Women’s</strong> Equality Network Wales (2012) Submission to <strong>the</strong> Committee on <strong>the</strong> Convention for <strong>the</strong> Elim<strong>in</strong>ation of all Forms of Discrim<strong>in</strong>ation<br />

aga<strong>in</strong>st Women, WEN Wales response. WEN Wales: Burry Port http://wenwales.org/wp-content/uploads/Submission-to-<strong>the</strong>-Committeeon-CEDAW-formatted-version-f<strong>in</strong>al.pdf<br />

<strong>Women’s</strong> <strong>equality</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>: CEDAW shadow report 2013 19

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