Women@Work e-bulletin July 08 no 2

The WEA Women@Work project sends this bulletin to those who are listed on our database to enable you to be informed about topical issues relating to women. While we try to ensure that the information in this bulletin is accurate and appropriate, we cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy, content or information provided in the hypertext links.

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This is an extract from the EQUALITIES UPDATE: recent equalities news produced by the Highland Council and also distributed by the Highlands & Islands Equality Forum. Follow the blue links below to access articles relating to gender equality. 

June 2008  Recruitment of under-represented groups into the senior civil service This DWP research explores the attitudes and job search behaviours of the senior managers who are from under-represented groups, including women, those with a long-term health condition or disability, and those from ethnic minorities.

03 June 08   Jobs for the girls: two years on 
Presents the government's response to the Business and Enterprise Committee's report on progress towards the implementation of the Women and Work Commission report 'Shaping a fairer future'.

02 July 08  Women’s breakthrough at next election ‘impossible’
80 years on from universal suffrage and there is no prospect of increasing the number of women MPs at the next election, according to new research from the Electoral Reform Society

04 July 08  EHRC supports calls for strategy to tackle violence against women
The End Violence Against Women Campaign (EVAW) is today calling on the government to develop a single, effective strategy to tackle violence against women.

14 July 08  Maternity leave 'damages' careers
The extension of maternity leave may be sabotaging women's careers, the head of the new equality watchdog has warned.

14 July 08  Fathers seen as 'optional seasoning' when it comes to children – time for radical thinking on giving dads paternity leave Nicola Brewer, Chief Executive of the EHRC, argues that we need to explore legislative change to tackle the significant inequality between maternity and paternity leave..

17 July 08   GMB defeated in equal pay claim
The GMB union has suffered a major defeat at the Court of Appeal over an equal pay claim. The Court has upheld an employment tribunal decision that the GMB indirectly discriminated against female union members by recommending acceptance of a “single status” pay deal.

23 July 08   Government Announces BAME Women Councillors Taskforce Pilot Event Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) women from across London will take part in the first in a series of Government events, which aim to encourage them to become councillors in local government - ultimately making councils more representative of the communities they  serve and enable more informed decision making.

29 July 08    Commission calls for practical approach to equal pay crisis following landmark judgement. In a landmark judgment, the Court of Appeal has accepted the EHRC’s call for a practical approach to help resolve a surge in equal pay cases threatening to bring the tribunal system to a grinding halt

29 July 08   Commission's legal intervention leads to reprieve for domestic violence support group The EHRC intervened in a case, arguing that Ealing Council had not taken proper steps to determine the impact of proposed funding changes on long-standing domestic violence support group Southall Black Sisters (SBS),, and the decision could be unlawful.

EVENTS

22 August 08   Sexual Exploitation Conference
The Highland Wellbeing Alliance and Child Protection Committee are hosting a conference on Sexual Exploitation at the Drumossie Hotel, Inverness. For further details contact: Gillian Gunn, tel 01463 704814, E: gillian.gunn@hhb.scot.nhs.uk

16 Sept 08   Ending Domestic Abuse by Tackling Gender Inequality, Scottish Women's Aid conference, Conference, Edinburgh.  Contact Erica Brok Tel: 0131 226 6606 info@scottishwomensaid.org.uk or faxed to 0131 226  2996.

08 Oct 08   Human Rights and Equalities Scotland - How the New Landscape Affects You, Holyrood Conference, Edinburgh

21 Oct 08    The Equality and Human Rights Symposium: Developing the Framework for a Fairer Future Policy Exchange Symposium, hosted by the Centre for Parliamentary Studies, London.

Ongoing        Women@Work Project, Network meetings throughout Highlands & Islands for details contact: womenatwork@weascotland.org.uk

Ongoing        Highlands & Islands Equality Forum, training and awareness raising throughout Highlands and Islandsfor further details contact HIEF.

If you wish to comment in any way - please contact Frances Powell at womenatwork@weascotland.org.uk

Women@Work Project
WEA Scotland
David Whyte House
57 Church Street
Inverness IV1 1DR
Tel: 01463 710577
Fax: 01463 713671
E-Mail womenatwork@weascotland.org.uk
Website www.weawomenatwork.org.uk

The Workers' Educational Association is a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in Scotland (number SC039239) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (number 2806910). Registered address is WEA, 3rd Floor, 70 Clifton Street, London, EC2A 4HB.