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***   Women@Worknetwork members who wish to promote their own business or services across the network can now have a page on the W@W website –for details see www.weawomenatwork.org.uk or contact us by email on womenatwork@weascotland.org.uk  ***

This is an extract from the EQUALITIES UPDATE: Sep/Oct, issue 9/2007 - recent equalities news produced by the HighlandCouncil and distributed by the Highlands & Islands Equality Forum. Follow the blue links below to access articles relating to gender equality.

Sept 07 Pakistani and Bangladeshi women’s attitudes to work and family
A report published on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions

Sept 07 Camelot Foundation funding
The Camelot Foundation is prioritising projects in 5 areas of UK in its next application round including the Highlands & Islands of Scotland.  The Foundation envisages making 3 – 5 grants of £40k - £80k for innovative projects which involve marginalised groups of young people - parents or those at particular risk of becoming young parents; exiles and migrants, newly arrived in the UK;  people with mental health problems; disabled people.  Deadline date of 12th October 2007.

04 Sept 07 modern equal pay legislation to close stubborn pay gap
As new figures show a dramatic rise in the number of equal pay cases being lodged in tribunals

05 Sept 07 Over fifty percent of women perceived to be victims of unequal pay in IT A survey from Intellect, the trade association for the UK technology industry shows that more than half of all women working in the technology industry think their pay package is not comparable to that of their male colleagues performing similar roles.  More than one in three say they have evidence that this is the case.  Anecdotal evidence highlights how many women are turning away from careers in technology because of perceptions of inequality.

06 Sept 07 Working for Families Evaluation Phase 1 (2004-2006)
This report presents an evaluation of phase 1 of the Working for Families programme which was established to invest in new initiatives to improve the employability of parents who have difficulty participating in the labour market.

10 Sept 07 Barred from the vote
Thousands of abused women may be unable to vote anonymously at the General Election or mooted Scottish Referendum as the result of the omission of Scottish legislation in an Act passed by Westminster.

11 Sept 07 Education and gender
New research released today by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) suggests that social class is the biggest factor affecting attainment.

14 Sept 07 New Women’s Representation Wallchart
The Electoral Reform Society ERS has produced a wallchart highlighting women’s representation in the . Full of useful facts and figures, and showing only 251 constituencies have ever been represented by a woman

18 Sept 07 Partnership transitions and mothers' employment
This DWP report presents findings from a secondary analysis of the families and children study and the British household panel study. It measures the partnership dynamics among mothers and explores the impact of partnership breakdown and (re)partnering on family employment status.

21 Sept 07 Public perceptions about ethnic minority women at work are out of touch with the times Nearly four in 10 people (37%) think that unemployed Bangladeshi and Pakistani women face cultural and religious barriers that prevent them from working (after family and caring responsibilities, 43%), according to an Ipsos MORI survey commissioned jointly by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).

27 Sept 07 Woman's £20,000 maternity victory
An Aberdeen management accountant who claimed she was not considered for promotion because she was on maternity leave has won more than £20,000.
 
EVENTS
12 Oct 07 Older Women & Domestic Violence: research update seminar, Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, Edinburgh

23 Oct 07  Women Leading  a dynamic, practical course for women new to or aspiring to leadership roles, Callander near Stirling

24 Oct 07 Going Public, a special W@W event supporting women to speak out and make a difference, Inverness

30 Oct 07 Women’s No Pay Day: 30 October 2007, Fawcett Society is organising a day of action on to tell Government that it needs to do more to close the pay gap.

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.