Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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1.4 1.5 1.6 was room for improvement in its human rights record and reaffirmed their long-standing commitment to advancing human rights both at home and internationally. However, human rights protections offered to women are currently under threat in the UK as government ministers aim to repeal the Human Rights Act. 7 As part of the UPR process, various countries raised women’s rights issues that need to be addressed further, including the impact of the financial crisis on women. In their response to this and also to CEDAW’s first list of issues and questions 8 the Government stated that in order to reduce the deficit and restore economic stability some very difficult decisions had to be made to reduce public spending but that these will be made fairly and the most vulnerable will be protected. However, this commitment has not been seen in their actions to date, as this report will show. Progress on women’s equality The Government produced an equality strategy Building a Fairer Britain in 2010, 9 which states that “equality is at the heart of government” and “it is fundamental to building a strong economy and a fair society” and that tackling the deficit must be done “fairly, protecting the most vulnerable and prioritising equal opportunities for all”. However, we have not seen equality underpinning “this coalition’s guiding principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility”, 10 especially in relation to women’s equality and that of the most vulnerable and marginalised. In fact the equality strategies do not address gender in much detail and focus on only a few areas of discrimination. The measures that the Government has taken to ensure the practical realisation of the principles of equality and non-discrimination enshrined in the Convention are piecemeal and ineffective. In the Equality Strategy Progress Report, 11 published in 2012, where women are mentioned, the focus is on women’s position in the labour market, women entrepreneurs and supporting women to be on the boards of top financial companies. For the vast majority of women living in the UK today these aspirations are far beyond what they experience in their everyday lives. (See Article 11) As a result of devolution there are also different equality provisions within the UK. For example, in Northern Ireland, while the Government did introduce a ten year Gender Equality Strategy, 12 which is linked to the international conventions, weak departmental action plans and the lack of implementation of key measures has meant that the potential impact has not been achieved. The Welsh Government also have Equality Objectives and a Strategic Equality Plan 13 alongside some positive developments regarding women’s equality while in Scotland the Scottish Government has had Ministerial Priorities around gender equality 14 although these have not been updated recently. (See Annex 1) 7. Sayal, R. (2013) ‘Tory Minsters plot Human Rights Act repeal’, The Guardian, 3rd March 2013 http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/ mar/03/tory-ministers-human-rights-act 8. CEDAW 55th session (2013) List of issues and questions with regard to the consideration of periodic reports: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Addendum: Replies of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the list of issues to be taken up in connection with the consideration of its seventh periodic report, 5th February 2013 http://www2.ohchr.org/English/bodies/cedaw/docs/ CEDAW.C.GBR.Q.7.Add.1.pdf 9. Government Equalities Office (2010) The Equality Strategy – Building a Fairer Britain. GEO: London http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ publications/equalities/equality-strategy-publications/equality-strategy/equality-strategy?view=Binary 10. Government Equalities Office (2010) The Equality Strategy – Building a Fairer Britain. GEO: London http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ publications/equalities/equality-strategy-publications/equality-strategy/equality-strategy?view=Binary 11. Government Equalities Office (2012) The Equality Strategy – Building a Fairer Britain: Progress report. GEO: London http://www. homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/equalities/equality-strategy-publications/progress-report?view=Binary 12. Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (2006) Gender Matters: A strategic framework for action to promote gender equality for women and men 2006-2016 http://www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/genderequalitystrategy2006-2016.pdf 13. Welsh Assembly Government, The Equality Objectives and Strategic Equality Plan 2012-2016 http://wales.gov.uk/topics/equality/equalitya ctatwork/;jsessionid=C32863FCADA93901CA4C4DD2676A89F9?lang=en Accessed: 01/05/13 14. The Scottish Government, Gender Equality http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/18500 Accessed: 01/05/13 24 Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013
1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 Women’s participation in public and community activities is also encouraged yet there is no acknowledgement that women already volunteer within the community 15 through caring roles etc. and so are unable to take up further public positions because they do not have the capacity and these roles do not fit into their busy lives. (See Article 7) The Government wants to promote work on body image for young women and girls yet does nothing to sanction the advertising and media companies who create these unattainable ideals. (See Article 5 for more information) Compulsory Sex and Relationships Education has also been removed from education and there is no coherent, nationwide plan to address sex discrimination and VAWG through the school curriculum which can have a considerable impact on women’s life chances. (See Article 10) The 2011 Violence Against Women and Girls Action Plan 16 watered down a lot of the strategy and actions already created in the previous Government’s Together we can End Violence Against Women and Girls: A Strategy 17 and there is still not a national strategy that is addressing VAWG in the UK. (See General Recommendation 19 for more information) International work In March 2011, the Government launched a strategic vision for girls and women on the centenary of International Women’s Day. The Strategic Vision 18 focuses on key development priorities. 19 The 7th Periodic Report 20 also highlights in detail their work on gender equality abroad. However, CEDAW covers the Government’s domestic obligations which have not been adequately addressed and we have not seen similar actions and commitments made to also address inequalities for women in the UK. Measures to eliminate discrimination targeting specific groups – Disabled women The Government may have protected funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant 21 but the effects of the current public spending cuts will have further negative impacts on disabled women’s human rights. Restricting eligibility to ‘care’ and closing the Independent Living Fund, removing financial support for those who leave work because of a health condition or impairment, and removing financial support for disabled people seeking legal aid, infringes on fundamental articles in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) 22 as well as under CEDAW. (See Article 13) 75% of disabled women are already at the bottom end of Britain’s income distribution scale, 15. James, S. (2010) ‘The Tory ‘big society’ relies on women replacing welfare’, The Guardian, 21st October 2010 http://www.guardian.co.uk/ commentisfree/2010/oct/21/spending-review-taxandspending 16. Home Office (2011) Call to End Violence against Woman and Girls: Action Plan. HM Government http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ publications/crime/call-end-violence-women-girls/vawg-action-plan?view=Binary 17. Home Office (2009) Together We Can End Violence Against Woman and Girls Strategy. HM Government http://webarchive. nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100419081706/homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news/violence-against-women-and-girls.html 18. Department for International Development (2011) A New Strategic Vision for Girls and Women: Stopping Poverty Before it Starts. UKAID http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/publications1/strategic-vision-girls-women.pdf 19. Government Equalities Office (2012) The Equality Strategy – Building a Fairer Britain: Progress report. GEO: London https://www.gov.uk/ government/publications/the-equality-strategy-building-a-fairer-britain-progress-report 20. Government Equalities Office (2011) CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women) report. United Kingdom’s Seventh Periodic Report. GEO: London http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/equalities/international-equality/7thcedaw-report?view=Binary 21. Government Equalities Office (2010) The Equality Strategy – Building a Fairer Britain. GEO: London http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/ publications/equalities/equality-strategy-publications/equality-strategy/equality-strategy?view=Binary Page 5 22. Bush, M. (2012) ‘Double think on disabled people’s rights’, Disability Now, March 2012 http://www.disabilitynow.org.uk/article/double-thinkdisabled-peoples-rights Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013 25
Page 1 and 2: Women’s equality in the UK - A he
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Page 5 and 6: Appendices (online only) Appendix 1
Page 7 and 8: • the continued discrimination ag
Page 9 and 10: • Develop a common model of analy
Page 11 and 12: Article 9 - Nationality: One third
Page 13 and 14: investment in social infrastructure
Page 15 and 16: and increase the marginalisation of
Page 17 and 18: have been no prosecutions in Englan
Page 19 and 20: 1 2 3 4 5 Introduction This is a Un
Page 21 and 22: 10 11 12 13 housing crisis, a ‘lo
Page 23: 1.1 1.2 1.3 Article 1 - Overarching
Page 27 and 28: 1.17 1.18 1.19 Young women We are a
Page 29 and 30: 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 consult to “remov
Page 31 and 32: 2.12 2.13 discrimination”. Howeve
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Page 35 and 36: 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 CEDAW and the l
Page 37 and 38: 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 would “increase
Page 39 and 40: 3.15 3.16 3.17 and accountable EHRC
Page 41 and 42: 3.22 3.23 3.24 report is was partic
Page 43 and 44: classes, migrants, and Gypsy, Trave
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9.21 9.22 9.23 9.24 women. 47 (See
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9.28 9.29 9.30 9.31 New family migr
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9.35 9.36 UKBA, where men and women
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9.39 9.40 9.41 9.42 • Do not redu
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9.46 Research on immigration case m
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10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 10.9 The Educat
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10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 boys and on
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10.22 10.23 allow speakers to promo
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10.29 10.30 10.31 10.32 Case study:
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10.37 10.38 10.39 10.40 • Many wo
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10.46 10.47 10.48 applications (fig
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11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Article 11 - Em
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11.8 11.9 are 754,000 women working
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11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 The g
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11.24 11.25 11.26 per week or they
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11.31 11.32 11.33 Introducing more
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11.37 11.38 Case study: 83 Jasmine
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11.42 11.43 11.44 11.45 At the 2012
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12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 of women and en
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12.12 12.13 12.14 12.15 Translators
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12.19 12.20 12.21 12.22 Barriers to
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12.25 12.26 12.27 12.28 Gypsy and T
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12.34 12.35 12.36 12.37 Older women
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12.41 12.42 Recommendations: • Th
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12.47 12.48 12.49 12.50 they are at
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12.55 12.56 12.57 Case studies: 128
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12.60 12.61 12.62 12.63 12.64 hospi
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13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Article 13
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13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 children ne
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13.17 13.18 13.19 13.20 Welfare ref
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13.25 13.26 13.27 13.28 because in
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13.32 13.33 Case study: 57 “As a
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13.36 13.37 allocation of resources
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13.41 13.42 Homelessness, including
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13.47 13.48 BME women would be left
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13.52 13.53 13.54 13.55 with some l
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13.60 13.61 13.62 effect to their p
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14.6 14.7 14.8 disabled and lesbian
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14.14 Gypsy and Traveller women suf
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15.6 15.7 15.8 15.9 15.10 15.11 The
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15.14 15.15 15.16 purport to be vic
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15.21 15.22 15.23 Case study: 35
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15.28 15.29 15.30 15.31 has not pro
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15.35 15.36 behaviour by male priso
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16.5 16.6 people being forced into
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16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 16.15
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16.21 16.22 frequently women’s ac
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Recommendations: • Parents with c
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19.6 19.7 19.8 as well as for our c
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19.13 19.14 19.15 19.16 The Governm
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19.22 19.23 19.24 19.25 VAWG is a c
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19.30 19.31 19.32 19.33 DV is still
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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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