Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 left to live in poverty. 23 Disabled women experience dual discrimination because of their status as ‘disabled’ and ‘women’ and often remain invisible in mainstream legislation and policy for women. The situation is even worse for disabled women from certain groups such as older women and those belonging to minority ethnic groups. Disabled women’s issues are still underresearched, and their needs are often excluded in the mainstream Disability Movement as well as the Women’s Movement, 24 which explains the lack of both qualitative and quantitative data specifically about disabled women. Therefore, their concerns are also overlooked in government policy. The Government made commitments to fund The National Valuing Families Forum 25 and The National Forum of People with Learning Disabilities 26 until 2012 but it is unclear what will happen to these services after this and what continued support there will be for disabled women. (See Appendix: 36 for further information) LGB&T equality In 2008 it was estimated that there were 1.8 million lesbian women in Britain 27 however, there is still not comprehensive data that enables this population to receive the services and support that they need. Lesbian and bisexual (LB) women continue to be discriminated against in various areas of life including in the provision of health services, (See Article 12) within the asylum system, (See Appendix: 9) and in the law. (See Article 15) Organisations working specifically with and for LB women are particularly marginalised in terms of funding and political influence. 28 Both within and outside the LGB&T sector, organisations that support lesbian, bisexual and trans women, and those supporting LGB&T people belonging to additional equality groups are even more under-resourced and marginalised. 29 There is a lack of specific support available locally for young LB women across the UK and a lack of awareness of their needs, which must be addressed. 30 Women offenders The 2007 Corston report 31 called for strategic and structural changes to drive progress on the women’s criminal justice agenda, eliminating discrimination and addressing the multiple and complex needs of women offenders and those at risk of offending, as recognised by CEDAW in 2008. However, although the Government may have “broadly accepted” the conclusions, the outcomes are yet to be realised. (See Article 15 and Appendix: 27 for more information) 23. Disabled People Against the Cuts (2010) ‘Disabled people feel their lives are under threat’ www.l-r-c.org.uk/files/DPAC_cuts1.pdf Accessed on: 15/02/2012 24. Keogh, M. (2012) ‘International Women’s Day: Women with disabilities a dichotomy in protection’, Disability and Human Rights, 8th March 2012 http://disabilityandhumanrights.com/2012/03/08/international-women%E2%80%99s-day-women-with-disabilities-a-dichotomyin-protection/ 25. Carers Trust, The National Valuing Families Forum http://professionals.carers.org/health/the-national-valuing-families-forum,7028,PR. html Accessed: 21/03/2013 26. National Forum of People with Learning Disabilities http://www.nationalforum.co.uk/ Accessed: 21/03/2013 27. Hunt, R. and Dr. Fish, J. (2008) Prescription for Change: Lesbian and bisexual women’s health check. Stonewall: London http://www. stonewall.org.uk/documents/prescription_for_change.pdf 28. Women’s Resource Centre (2010) In All Our Colours: Lesbian, bisexual and trans women’s services in the UK. WRC: London http:// thewomensresourcecentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/IAOC.pdf 29. Nea, B. and Cox, D. (2008) Gaps and Solutions: Supporting London’s Equality Sectors. HEAR/ROTA: London 30. Women’s Resource Centre (2010) In All Our Colours: Lesbian, bisexual and trans women’s services in the UK. WRC: London http:// thewomensresourcecentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/IAOC.pdf 31. Corston, J. (2007) A report by Baroness Jean Corston of a review of women with particular vulnerabilities in the Criminal Justice System. Home Office: London http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/corston-report-march-2007.pdf/ 26 Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013
1.17 1.18 1.19 Young women We are also concerned about the impact of current government policies on young women over 18 as many of the cuts to Further and Higher Education have had a disproportionate impact on women, particularly ethnic minority women, those who have children, are from poorer backgrounds and/or are mature students, preventing them from gaining educational qualifications. 32 These women may see their earning potential and job prospects reduced as a result. Cuts to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes also have a large impact on women. 33 (See Article 10 and Appendix: 12) Youth unemployment in the UK is over 21% compare to an overall employment rate of just over 7%. 34 Research has shown that young women with no qualifications are the group most impacted by increasing young unemployment rates and most vulnerable to being categorised as not in employment, education or training (NEET). 35 Government strategies to tackle this are insufficient. 36 The policy focus on vocational education and apprenticeships is to be welcomed but does not tackle gender stereotyping in terms of vocational training opportunities offered to young women and in employment opportunities. The loss of government funding to organisations such as The UKRC 37 (which supports gender equality and diversity in science, engineering, technology and the built environment) only exacerbates this trend. (See Article 11 for more information) We are also concerned that cuts and government attitudes to reproductive health will leave young women without access to appropriate sexual and reproductive health services such as abortion provision and sexual health counselling support. 38 (See Article 12) 32. Stephenson, M. (2011) TUC Women and the Cuts Toolkit: How to carry out a human rights and equality impact assessment of the spending cuts on women. TUC: London http://www.tuc.org.uk/equality/tuc-20286-f0.cfm 33. Moore, K. (2011) ‘’Women affected most’ by English language funding cuts’, BBC News London, 18th May 2011 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ uk-england-london-13412811 34. Office for National Statistics (2013) Labour Market Statistics, March 2013 http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/ march-2013/index.html 35. Institute for Public Policy Research (2010) Youth Tracker, Issue 4. IPPR: London http://lx.iriss.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/youth_ tracker_issue_4.pdf 36. BBC News (2012) ‘Youth contract ‘insufficient’ to tackle youth unemployment, MPs say’, BBC News Politics, 19th September 2012 http:// www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19638255 37. The UKRC http://www.theukrc.org/ Accessed: 21/03/13 38. Williams, R. (2012) ‘Sexual health services hit by cuts’, The Guardian, 23rd April 2012 http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/apr/23/ sexual-health-services-cuts Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013 27
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
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9.46 Research on immigration case m
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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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11.24 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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12.34 12.35 12.36 12.37 Older women
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12.41 12.42 Recommendations: • Th
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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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13.32 13.33 Case study: 57 “As a
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13.36 13.37 allocation of resources
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14.6 14.7 14.8 disabled and lesbian
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Recommendations: • Parents with c
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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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19.85 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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