Women’s equality in the UK – A health check
Women’s equality in the UK – A health check
Women’s equality in the UK – A health check
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10.5<br />
10.6<br />
10.7<br />
10.8<br />
10.9<br />
The Education Act 2011<br />
In <strong>the</strong> 7th Periodic Report, it is acknowledged that <strong>the</strong> latest Education Act 8 did not specifically<br />
legislate to implement gender <strong>equality</strong> policies. The Government fails to recognise that<br />
education can provide a crucial means of prevent<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> attitudes and behaviour that leads to<br />
discrim<strong>in</strong>ation aga<strong>in</strong>st women <strong>in</strong> society.<br />
The Government has, so far, failed to pay due regard to <strong>the</strong> impact of its education reforms on<br />
women and girls. The 2011 Girls’ Attitudes Survey by <strong>the</strong> Girl Guides found that “recent changes<br />
<strong>in</strong> education fund<strong>in</strong>g have had a major impact on girls’ attitudes to Higher Education and<br />
careers. Concern about <strong>the</strong> cost of college or university, and be<strong>in</strong>g able to f<strong>in</strong>d a job, is plac<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g pressure on <strong>the</strong>m at secondary school.” 9<br />
Careers advice and gender stereotypes<br />
One of <strong>the</strong> key recommendations from <strong>the</strong> Women and Work Commission set up <strong>in</strong> 2004<br />
to look at <strong>the</strong> wide-rang<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>fluences on <strong>the</strong> gender pay gap, was that <strong>the</strong> Department for<br />
Education (DfE) and relevant Scotland, Wales and Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland departments should draw<br />
up national guidance for teachers and Early Years childcare workers on how to ensure that <strong>the</strong><br />
horizons of children <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> three to five age group are not limited by stereotypes of what boys<br />
and girls can do. (See Appendix: 25) There has been no progress made on this recommendation<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> Women and Work Commission reported <strong>in</strong> 2006. 10<br />
The Commission fur<strong>the</strong>r recommended that <strong>the</strong> DfE and relevant Scotland, Wales and<br />
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Ireland departments should ensure that teacher tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g emphasises <strong>the</strong> need<br />
to challenge gender stereotypes, both <strong>in</strong> delivery of careers education and <strong>in</strong> subject<br />
teach<strong>in</strong>g, and that it allows for a work placement for all tra<strong>in</strong>ee teachers <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g observ<strong>in</strong>g<br />
workers <strong>in</strong> non-traditional occupations. Similarly, <strong>the</strong>re has been no progress <strong>in</strong> relation<br />
to this recommendation.<br />
As stated <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Government’s report, 11 <strong>the</strong> Education Act places schools under a duty to secure<br />
access to <strong>in</strong>dependent careers guidance. 12 However nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> report nor <strong>the</strong> Act refers<br />
specifically to ensur<strong>in</strong>g that gender stereotypes are actively challenged by this <strong>in</strong>dependent<br />
service. A narrow range of gender-stereotypical work placements tends to dom<strong>in</strong>ate young<br />
women’s choices, and many have limited knowledge of how choices about courses and careers<br />
<strong>in</strong>fluence pay and progression routes. 13 (See Article 11) It is essential that pupils are given full<br />
<strong>in</strong>formation about how <strong>the</strong> courses and careers <strong>the</strong>y choose are likely to impact on <strong>the</strong>ir longterm<br />
earn<strong>in</strong>gs, and to do this, careers advisors must receive tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g on challeng<strong>in</strong>g gender<br />
stereotypes. (See Article 5 for more <strong>in</strong>formation)<br />
8. Education Act 2011 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/21/contents/enacted<br />
9. Girlguid<strong>in</strong>g (2011) ‘Press release: Third Girl’s Attitudes Survey highlights <strong>UK</strong> Girl’s Views’, 25th October 2011 http://www.girlguid<strong>in</strong>g.org.uk/<br />
system_pages/small_navigation/press_office/latest_press_releases/third_girls_attitudes_survey.aspx<br />
10. Women and Work Commission (2006) Shap<strong>in</strong>g a Fairer Future http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/27_02_06_wwc_paygap.pdf<br />
11. 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 />
Paragraph 134<br />
12. 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 />
Paragraph 134<br />
13. Ofsted (2011) Girls’ career aspirations http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/girls-career-aspirations; and Equality and Human Rights<br />
Commission (2011) The Equality Duties and Schools: Lessons for <strong>the</strong> future, Equality and Human Rights Commission Policy paper for<br />
England, June 2011. http://www.<strong>equality</strong>humanrights.com/uploaded_files/EqualityAct/PSED/<strong>equality</strong>_duties_and_schools_policy_paper.<br />
pdf<br />
<strong>Women’s</strong> <strong>equality</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UK</strong>: CEDAW shadow report 2013 85