Women@Work E-bulletin February 2010

Welcome to this month’s Women@Work e-bulletin! It contains information about the W@W programme, together with links to newsletters, press articles and other information which may be of interest to W@W members. As usual, if you have information or links to share, please get in touch with us at womenatwork@weascotland.org.uk.

Women@Work information

• W@W networks are gearing up for International Women’s Day for the first week in March. The Inverness network joins up with Highland One World Group to have another lively day event on Saturday 6th March at Merkinch Community Centre on the theme ‘Strive to Thrive with Less’. The Caithnessnetwork will have an event in Wick on 8th March. See the events below or the website for further details.

·        Women@Work network meetings are being organised for the next few months. Check out the website for details.

·        Women@Work network members who wish to promote their own business or services across the network can have a page on the W@W website – for details see member's page on the W@W website or contact us by email on womenatwork@weascotland.org.uk

New on the W@W website

 ·        Topic of the Month for February:  Women and Discrimination

 ·        Check it out entries for last month: Rights of Women; The Centre for Women & Democracy; 3 Reports into ’s disability organisations

What’s in the news and newsletters …

·        21st December 2009: Report from Scottish Gov’t on Money Advice Giving Methods: a review of selected recent literature.

·        23rd December 2009: Report from Scottish Gov’t presenting findings of a Scottish Government consultation on the views on an aspect of the UK Equality Bill as it relates to : whether the provision in the Bill should be extended to Scottish public bodies.

·        27th December 2009: Times article focusses on gender quotas for management, spurred by ’s proposal to impose quotas.

·        5 January 2010: Daily Telegraph article focusses on ‘Lipstick Entrepreneurs’ – are such labels marginalising women in business?

·        7 January 2010: The Centre for Women & Democracy is keeping a website Candidate Watch to monitor women candidates, as well as occasional reports on particular aspects of the election. They are also investigating how women fare in internet campaigning (which is expected to increase in the next election), and invite comments and views.

·        11th January 2010: Speakers’ Conference on Parliamentary Representation report published containing a number of recommendations on expanding representation of women and minorities in government. See also the response from the Centre for Women and Democracy

·        13th January 2010: Housing (Scotland) bill published which proposed to amend Right to Buy legislation.

·        14th January 2010: Only one in eight people have served on a public body, according to new IPSOS MORI research commissioned by the Government Equalities Office and the Cabinet Office, and of these, the majority are men from white backgrounds. 

·        15th January 2010: Dept of Health taskforce that reflects the government’s aim to ensure that the NHS is fully engaged addressing violence against women and girls, publishes updates.

·        15th January 2010: Scottish government announces new funding to strengthen efforts to prevent women reoffending.

·        19th January 2010: EHRC proposes to grant limited immunity from investigation for all employers who analyse and report publicly their gender pay gaps.

·        21st January 2010: Report on Parents’ Work Entry, Progression and Retention, and Child Poverty published by Department for Work and Pensions.

·        24th January 2010. Guardian interview with Natasha Walter on the resurgence of sexism in our society.

·        27th January 2010. The National Equity Panel report “An Anatomy of Inequality in the ” containing results of detailed research into the complex nature of inequality and disadvantage was welcomed by many groups, including the EHRC.

·        28th January 2010. Government publishes response to a consultation on draft regulations on paternity leave. This issue is then picked up in a number of newspapers, including the Guardian, Telegraph and the Scotsman with different perspectives.

·        29th January 2010. EHRC publishes ‘A Practical Guide to Revising Gender Equality Schemes,’ which explains how to develop and implement a revised gender (or single) equality scheme.

·        The Equality and Human Rights Commision (EHRC) is consulting on the draft non-statutory guidance for employment, services, public functions and associations, and education. These consultations are open until 16 April. 

EVENTS  (see also W@W Diary on the website)

10th/11th February 2010: Understanding Deafness. Two day free training session run by Highland Council Deaf Services.

11th February 2010 or 25th February 2010: Islam and Violence against Women. Workshop run by AMINA, The Muslim Women’s Resource Centre, Dundee. Contact: Stephanie Cowan at stephanie@mwrc.org.uk.

26th February 2010: Moving Forward and Growing. Annual conference of Highlands and Islands Social Enterprise Zone (HISEZ), to be held at Centre for Health Science, Old Perth Road, Inverness.

26th February 2010. Out of Place? LGBT conference, STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow, 10am-3:30pm. Free conference to raise the profile of lesbian, gay, bisexual and  transgender (LGBT)  issues in the workplace and encourage trade union activism. Closing date for applications is 19th Feb.

4th/5th March 2010: “Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion in Europe through Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education in Adult Learning”. Glasgow CityChambers , George Square, Glasgow. Conference delivered in partnership between Black & Ethnic Minorities Infrastructure in Scotland (BEMIS) and Democracy & Human Rights Education in Adult Learning (DARE) network. Further information and registration form from conference@bemis.org.uk

6th March 2010: International Women’s Day event in Inverness at Merkinch Community Centre, Inverness, 11am-3pm. ‘Strive to Thrive with Less’, with Health & Wellbeing from gardening; Crafts with local and reused materials; Global & local cooking & eating; Singing, dancing & theatre; and Charity shop chic.  Free crèche. 

6 March 2010: Million Women Rise March and Rally, Hyde Park, London. Calling all women in the to join together in one voice to say there are no excuses for male violence against women.

6th March 2010. Scottish Women’s Convention celebration of International Women’s Day, 12:30pm, Scottish Parliament. Register by 15th February.

8th March 2010. Celebrate International Women’s Day in Wick, with mini treatments, meditation sessions and refreshments. All money raised will go to a local Women’s charity. Further details will be available on the W@W website.

24-25 March 2010: SURF, 's independent regeneration network, will be hosting its 2010 annual conference in Edinburgh.