GSLP-Liberals-Manifesto-2019

this until gender inequality has been
eliminated.
We will lead the way and will introduce
a written Equal Opportunities Policy for
the public sector as part of the review
of General Orders. In addition, we will
also provide guidance on this for the
private sector so as to encourage the
take up of a written framework within
organisations.
We are mindful that one of the results
of the global MeToo movement was
that the problem of sexual harassment
in the workplace is greater than
anybody knew. Everyone has the
right to work in a safe and secure
environment and we will ensure
that our legislation and procedures
sufficiently protect against this and
we will introduce guidelines to ensure
that all employees are protected from
such harassment, furthermore we
will provide awareness and support.
We will further provide legislation to
outlaw any confidentially clause in a
settlement agreement in such cases.
We must remove all barriers that are
placed to hamper progress for women.
We note the existence of a gender
pay gap between men and women.
We will continue to issue a gender pay
gap survey so that we can get detailed
information on the gaps that exist so
that we can work to tackle it.
We note the gender imbalance in
employment within certain uniformed
bodies and we will specifically work
with these organisations to redress
his imbalance as well as to close the
gender pay gap.
The mentorship programme for
women which has been running for
two years is extremely popular and
successful and we would continue to
offer this.
We will introduce statutory
parental/paternity leave. Women
are traditionally disproportionately
responsible for child care. This is one of
the contributors to the gender pay gap.
It is also important to make rights that
are available to mothers also available
to fathers so that they can play a more
active role in child care from an early
age and give couples more flexibility
in this important time in the family’s
life. Parental leave would also benefit
those in same sex relationships.
We must also be mindful of issues that
specifically affect men and ensure that
they too are sufficiently safeguarded
and protected.
Our commitment to the equalisation
of the pensionable age between
men and women remains. Our aim
is to equalise at age 60. We have
not yet been able to deliver on this
commitment yet as it is a subject that
forms part of a wholesale review of all
benefits that will see the introduction
of a new scheme. This however, is
intrinsically linked to Brexit and the
date of withdrawal from the EU.
In order to achieve the best equality
policies we will consult with all
stakeholder groups.
GAY COMMUNITY
We were the party who introduced
the Civil Partnership Act and later
amended the Marriage Act so that
finally couples of the same sex could
have their love respected in law. Our
changes to the law have resulted in
attitudes changing towards same
sex couples. The same can be said of
our transgender community, where
changes to the law also mean that they
are protected from discrimination.
We have also amended the criminal
legislation to make hate crime and
hate speech aggravated offences. We
must however, continue to educate
on these issues and raise awareness
in our community to ensure that
we continue to be inclusive. This
will be done though structured age
appropriate education at school and
continued awareness campaigns. We
will also mark Pride to celebrate our
community’s diversity.
PRIDE MARCH
We will organise an annual Pride event
as part of the cultural calendar.
EQUALITY
In Gibraltar under the Equal
Opportunities Act “sexual orientation”
is still not a protected category with
regard to the provision of goods &
services. It cannot be acceptable for
a business to refuse service ue to the
sexual orientation of the customer, but
currently no law prevents this.
DOMESTIC ABUSE
Domestic abuse has been at the
forefront of our agenda because it
is something that happens all too
often. In Government we have already
produced a domestic abuse strategy
and we will keep this under review. We
have already made significant changes
to the way that organisations support
victims of abuse and their children
and their families. Importantly we
also work with perpetrators to break
the cycle. We will continue to invest
in further supporting victims and the
organisations that support them.
Significantly we will overhaul the law
that relating to domestic abuse so
as to offer greater protection, this
will include the introduction of a
new offense of coercive control. We
will embark on a full consultation
process before this is finalised to
ensure that we have the wide ranging
views of our community. We will
offer in depth training to everyone
who is a stakeholder to ensure that
the protections in the legislation are
delivered effectively and will continue
with the necessary awareness
campaigns.
Men and women who are victims
of abuse will need alternative
accommodation, sometimes urgently
and we will continue to support
Women in Need in the provision of
this. We will also commit to a full
refurbishment of the Half Way House
that was initially provided to Women in
Need by the first GSLP administration.
EQUAL JUSTICE FOR FATHERS &
MOTHERS
Justice should be gender blind as well
as colour blind. We will review our laws
to ensure that there is no statutory
provison preventing the judiciary
from acting in the manner it considers
appropriate in family matters. Justice
must not only be done, it must be seen
to be done.
MARRIAGE ACT – S.6 (b)
We will finalise the repeal of Section
6b of the Marriage Act, which has
never been invoked and which we
consider is no longer necessary.
...aspire to the best Gibraltar 147