International Women’s Day: Unfinished Business

The Equality and Human Rights Commission have produced an update of ‘Who runs Wales?’ for International Women’s Day 2012 which reminds us there is unfinished business if we are serious about achieving gender equality in public life. The report highlights politics and the public sector as areas of particular and pressing concern. In terms of the former, we now have fewer female MPs than before the 2010 general election and a decline in female AMs following the 2011 elections in Wales. It is hoped that the picture in local government might improve following the forthcoming May elections across Wales, but we’re starting from a pretty dire base with only 25% of Councillors being women, and only one female Council Leader in Wales (of 22 local authorities).

There are reasons to be fearful for the future also, with changes to electoral boundaries likely to reduce the number of women MPs in Wales, and political parties seemingly moving at little more than a snails pace to address inequality in  democratic representation. The use of All Women Shortlists (AWS) barely need be mentioned here, the blog of an organisation routed in Blaenau Gwent, the constituency that made AWS national news fodder. AWS’ have variously been described as crude, blunt, imposed from on high, or even an ‘insiders charter’. Suffice to say there are mixed feelings about their use, despite the fact that they are proven to deliver more representative democracy.

However, that argument is for another day, since it’s only part of the unfinished business we need to shine a light upon today; International Women’s Day. Gender balance across a range of public services in Wales is highlighted in the EHRC’s report. Its shows that despite some significant female appointments being made in recent years ‘overall progress remains far too slow, and in many areas we are going backwards’. For example, only 27% of Board members within the Welsh Government civil service are female, despite 58% of all Welsh Government staff being female. Only 10% of Chief Executives of Welsh Government sponsored bodies are women, while 31% of their board members are women. In education 20% of University Vice Chancellors and 24% FE College Principals are women. Worryingly similar statistics prevail in Health, Trade Unions, the media and local authorities.

Today in Cardiff NIACE Dysgu Cymru are holding a conference for women’s learning, or to be more precise for Every Woman’s Right to Learn. The conference will highlight the important role learning can play in women’s lives, and the role of education in addressing inequality. Last year we marked the centenary of International Women’s Day with a conference that reflected on all those women who fought, and are still fighting for equality. Much of that fight has been for access to education, and the improvements that women know it makes to their lives, families and communities. Whether that be as a route to economic independence, to gain confidence to overcome domestic violence, to improve skills to advance careers or simply to channel the energy, creativity, brain power, passion and ‘know-how’ of women who have faced barriers simply on the basis of their being female.

In the past century women won the right to vote, the right to go to university and the right not to have to resign from work when pregnant. Greater access to childcare and comprehensive education opened up educational opportunities and a new world for women. However, we know this is not enough. Unison have highlighted the 17% pay gap between full time working women and men.  The most comprehensive study of that pay gap in Wales found that whilst it could be partly explained by human capital factors, including qualifications and career patterns, a substantial proportion (nearly half) of the gap could be attributed to discrimination (Blackaby et al (2001). This is an injustice not be-fitting of the 21^st Century. It is not only the job of gobby lefties, or bra burning feminists to fight this fight (put me into either or both categories). It is requires everyone who believes in the values of fairness, equality and social justice to act now. What better day than International Women’s Day to start.

Cerys Furlong is Programme Director at NIACE Dysgu Cymru