Women’s equality in the UK – A health check

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5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Article 5 - Sex roles and stereotyping Gender stereotypes abound in all areas of society in the UK. Rhetoric from the Government often reinforces gender stereotypes, for example the expectation that women’s primary responsibilities are in the home. The perpetuation of gender stereotypes creates a negative and disempowering environment of conformity for women and openly encourages discrimination against women. Among the material consequences of these stereotypes are, for example, the continued low level of women in leadership positions (See Article 7) and the acceptability of violence against women and girls. (See General Recommendation 19) We would like to know what the Government’s plan of action is to end the perpetuation of gender stereotypes and to create change around this? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education and work The number of unemployed men has begun to fall, but the number of women who are unemployed is rising. 1 Investment in apprenticeships, technical training and science is welcome. But it is disappointing that the Government is combining this investment with a withdrawal of funding from initiatives to combat entrenched gender occupational segregation, which results in a concentration of young women in training for jobs that pay far less than those in sectors such as science and engineering. 2 For example the withdrawal of funding to the UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology 3 shows a lack of commitment to supporting women to enter these professions and to end gender segregation in employment. (See Articles 10 and 11 for further information) Portrayal of women in the media Women’s groups remain concerned that the UK Government has done little so far to address the recommendations of the CEDAW Committee in 2008 regarding the stereotyping of women in the media and lack of positive images of women, including ethnic and minority women, elderly women and women with disabilities. In particular positive representations of disabled women tend to be missing. 4 (See Appendix: 36) Disabled people in general are portrayed in the media as social burdens who are unable to contribute to society in any meaningful way. 5 Incidents of negative language about disabled people like ‘burden’, ‘scrounger’ and ‘cheat’ in print media has increased, whilst sympathetic accounts of disability discrimination had almost disappeared in the tabloid press. 6 People living in poverty also have to face stigma and prejudice, and a lack of recognition for the positive, nonfinancial contributions they make to society. 7 (See Article 13) 1. Saner, E. (2012) ‘Female unemployment crisis’, The Guardian, 20th February 2012 http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/20/femaleunemployment-crisis-women 2. WISE (2012) ‘Cuts to the UKRC questioned in UK parliament’, 11th January 2012 http://www.theukrc.org/news/2012/01/cuts-to-the-ukrcquestioned-in-uk-parliament 3. The UKRC http://www.theukrc.org/ Accessed: 21/03/13 4. Scarlet, M. (2012) ‘Shooting Beauty’ Disability Now, April 2012 http://archive.disabilitynow.org.uk/search/z12_04_Ap/style.shtml 5. Boffey, D. (2011) ‘Welfare to Work policy “casts the disabled as cheats”’ The Observer, 24th July 2011 http://www.guardian.co.uk/ society/2011/jul/24/welfare-policy-incites-hatred-disabled 6. Jolly, D. (2011) ‘Scapegoats, Sinners and Political Strategies: the media and disability cuts -Debbie Jolly’ Disabled People Against Cuts http:// www.dpac.uk.net/2011/12/scapegoats-sinners-and-political-strategies-the-media-and-disability-cuts-debbie-jolly/ 7. Oxfam (2012) The Perfect Storm: Economic stagnation, the rising cost of living, public spending cuts, and the impact on UK poverty. Oxfam: Oxford http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/the-perfect-storm-economic-stagnation-the-rising-cost-of-livingpublic-spending-228591 46 Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013
5.5 5.6 5.7 Case study: 8 Sandra lives in Salford, and since losing her job has been on benefits. She feels that her self-esteem has been severely affected by her situation. “What worries me, and scares me sometimes, is that there are so many programmes about benefit cheats and scroungers, and the labelling you get because you are someone on benefits. I think there’s a massive link between poverty, stress, and mental health, and you can’t get away from it. I felt I was relatively safe. I had a mortgage, I had a job, I had a good career; now I’ve been reduced to a set of labels. The confidence I used to have is gone. What rules most of the time is my electric meter, constantly going, and I worry about how many showers can I have in a week? How much television can I watch?” Recommendation: Media images of disabled women and women from diverse backgrounds in positive roles should be increased. Black and minority ethnic women’s representation in the media should also be improved, in particular challenging the connection between Islam, Muslims and violent extremism As stated in the Government’s report, 9 there are a wide range of regulatory controls on the media and advertising which set out rules on discriminatory treatment in relation to the portrayal of women. In relation to the sexual objectification of women in the media, these rules are not always consistent and they are not always upheld. Within broadcast media for example, nudity before the 9pm watershed, or material that may cause offence at any time of the day, must be justified by the context. This acts to prevent only more overt forms of objectification. Government-backed reports have also made clear recommendations around gender stereotyping and women’s representation. Dr Papadopoulos’ 2010 report 10 made a number of recommendations including the need for educational programmes to inform young people about healthy relationships and gender stereotyping. (See Article 10 for more information) The Government disseminated the report but this has not yet led to the creation of particular Government actions. The Stern Review 11 also focused on the need to launch publicity campaigns in relation to rape which highlight the role of the perpetrator and tackle their responsibility rather than placing responsibility on the victims to keep themselves safe. However, within certain aspects of the print-based media, it is commonplace for stereotyped and objectifying images of naked or semi-naked women to accompany the news, and indeed to be printed on the front page. These images are more often than not accompanied by derogatory language referring to the female body parts, and advertisements for the sex and pornography industries within such newspapers further serve to commodify women as sex objects. 12 8. Oxfam (2012) The Perfect Storm: Economic stagnation, the rising cost of living, public spending cuts, and the impact on UK poverty. Oxfam: Oxford http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/the-perfect-storm-economic-stagnation-the-rising-cost-of-livingpublic-spending-228591 9. 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 Paragraph 50 10. Papadopoulos, L. (2010) Sexualisation of Young People Review. Home Office: London http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. uk/20100418065544/http:/homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/Sexualisation-of-young-people.html 11. Government Equalities Office (2010) The Stern Review: A report by Baroness Vivien Stern CBE of an independent review into how rape complaints are handled by public authorities in England and Wales. GEO: London http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov. uk/20100418065537/equalities.gov.uk/stern_review.aspx 12. See OBJECT and Turn Your Back on Page 3 (2011) Joint Submission to the Leveson Inquiry http://www.OBJECT.org.uk/files/The%20 Leveson%20Inquiry%20-%20OBJECT%20and%20Turn%20Your%20Back%20on%20Page%203%20Joint%20Submission.pdf Women’s equality in the UK: CEDAW shadow report 2013 47
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
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Page 13 and 14: investment in social infrastructure
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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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12.25 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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13.32 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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14.6 14.7 14.8 disabled and lesbian
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14.14 Gypsy and Traveller women suf
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15.35 15.36 behaviour by male priso
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16.21 16.22 frequently women’s ac
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Recommendations: • Parents with c
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19.30 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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19.57 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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