Alex Delaney
Executive Director, Rosa
What’s the current picture?
The UK is the sixth biggest economy in the world, but the Equal Measures 2030 Gender Index puts it 17th in Europe and North America for gender equality. And for the first time in a century, this year life expectancy reversed for the most deprived women in society.
Research by the Women’s Budget Group found there’s no region in England where women on average earnings can afford average rent, and nearly two-thirds of women aged 18-24 have experienced sexual harassment at work. The courts are also systematically failing to secure prosecutions for the most serious sexual crimes such as rape.
In terms of representation in positions of power, the Fawcett Society found that one in 20 chief executives of FTSE 100 companies are women, and none are women of colour. Around 54,000 women are pushed out of their jobs every year because of pregnancy discrimination, an issue that Pregnant Then Screwed works to tackle. The list could, and does, go on.
What needs to change?
Deep economic and social change is still needed to lay the foundation for true gender equality. It is, among other factors, shaped by government policy and its relationship to women. Currently 6.2 million women compared to 2.2 million men work part time, and many of these women are part time because they’re caring for children or family. Less than 3% of families see the mother working full time and the father working part time.
We also need to acknowledge that while huge progress has been made – from the #MeToo movement, to more women in Parliament – there is still a long way to go, especially for women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Despite efforts from some employers and government to shift the dial, for example through shared parental leave, women’s lives are still inextricably linked to their caring responsibilities. Until we address the notion of what it means to provide care and value it, women will continue to do the bulk of unpaid work, which has knock on effects to their economic wellbeing later in life.
The long-awaited Domestic Abuse Bill is finally back for its next stage in parliament, but all institutions across the UK need to fully understand the depth and diversity of women’s lives, including their ethnicity, sexuality, health, age, stage of life, and levels of income. We keep asking women to overcome the barriers they face with more confidence through mentoring, coaching and by speaking louder. But we have been – and it’s not the only answer. We need to fix the system, not the women.
How do non-profits fit in?
The Women’s Budget Group recently launched its ‘Commission for a Gender Equal Economy’ with the aim of making that happen. The organisation is developing a suite of alternative economic policies to promote gender equality in the UK based on the belief that, in order to create an economy that works for everyone, we need policies that challenge and dismantle structural inequality.
We also need to acknowledge that while huge progress has been made – from the #MeToo movement, to more women in Parliament – there is still a long way to go, especially for women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.
Welsh organisation BAWSO, for example, provides specialist support for BAME people affected by domestic abuse and violence, and issues such as trafficking. Without BAWSO’s support, these already marginalised women would be pushed further to the fringes of society. Funding from Rosa’s Voices from the Frontline programme helped the organisation to launch a project that enables young survivors to share their experiences and raise awareness about issues like the exploitation of girls into gangs.
How can people help?
Women’s organisations like BAWSO are the experts; they have the knowledge, courage and skills to form the strong, united groups needed to bring about transformative change, but they need resources to make it happen. They provide life-changing and life-saving services to women and girls in the UK – from sexual harassment advice lines, to refuges for victims of domestic abuse, rape crisis centres, legal aid, employment training, and specialist support for migrant women.
Some get money from government bodies or local authorities, but many rely on grants from funders like Rosa. We pool funds from corporates, trusts, foundations and individuals and make long-term investments in the charities working to make the UK fairer and safer for women. Strong, united groups of women are essential in bringing about change. We need these groups to be connected across our society, institutions and businesses, to recognise each other’s strengths and to support each other at every level.