Cutting Women Out? - Fawcett Society Presentation

8/7/2019 Cutting Women Out? - Fawcett Society Presentation

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Daisy Sands, Policy and Campaigns Officer

Cutting Women Out?


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About Fawcett

the UKs leading campaign for equality

between women and men

Trace our roots backto 1866, to Millicent

Fawcetts peaceful struggle forwomensvotes

Vision: a societywhere women and our

rights and freedoms are equally valued andrespected andwhere we have equal power

and influence in shaping our own lives and

ourwiderworld


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The Triple Jeopardy


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Deficit cutting:

Women face a Triple Jeopardy

1. Cuts to jobs

2. Cuts to services and benefits women

use more

3. Women also likelyto fill

the gaps


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Cuts to job

s OBR est. 500,000 jobs to be lost in public

sector

65% of public sectorworkers women- 73% local governmentworkers

- 77% of NHS

= willhave particular impacton women in part-time work/ on lowwages


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Cuts to services

Childrens services

Social care services

Supportfor pregnantwomen

Domestic violence + trafficking services

Voluntary sectorwomens groups

Legal aid


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Cuts to benefits

On average, benefits andtax credits comprise 1/5th ofwomen's

income and less than 1/10th of men's

Child Benefit

Reductions in entitlements to child andworking tax credits

Housing Benefit

Maternity payments

Lone parents


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Women filling the gaps...

As services are withdrawn, regressive

ideology assumes women will fillthe gaps

Women already do 2hours more unpaidwork

a daythan men

Women do s of childcare during the week

s recipients of carers allowance are women

+ concerns aboutwelfare reform universal

credit couldthreaten independent income

and incentives to undertake paidwork


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All this against a

backdrop of

Persistentgap between the pay ofwomen

and men currently 16%

64% of lowpaidworkers are women 40% of ethnic minoritywomen live in poverty

Womens average income in retirementonly

62% ofthe average for men

= a roll back on womens equality


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2011Budget

Growth strategy missed opportunityto start

rectify rise in womens unemployment

Freeze on changes in employmentpractice

will penalise women in small businesses

Watering down existing employmentrights

risks hitting women hardest

Cutting redtape should notbe atthe

expense ofwomens equality.


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What is Fawcett doing?


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Insider: holding governmentto accounton

legal dutyto eliminate/advance gender

equality

Outsider: campaigning to highlightand

address the impactof deficit-cutting

measures on womens equality


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What you can do...


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Join Fawcettto supportourwork Tell us your experiences howwillthe cuts

affectyou?

Write to your local council re req. toundertake GEIAs for services cuts

Write to your MPto askthem to raise PQs

Organise locally, spreadthe word Write to your local paper


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Documents

Cutting Women Out? - Fawcett Society Presentation