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To: Nicky Morgan MP, Minister for Women and Equalities

Take on Board 22 calls for action in the SW Women's Manifesto

Please take on board the calls for action in the SW Women's Manifesto and get them accepted as Government policy. The Manifesto is endorsed by women in the South West and describes what women need to give them more equal opportunities in their economic position, their safety, their power and their health. It is at: http://www.fairplaysouthwest.org.uk/images/SW_Womens_Manifesto_final-4.doc

Why is this important?

Despite years of equality legislation and the declared will of many policy-makers, women continue to be subject to economic, health, safety and power inequality in the UK. These inequalities are experienced strongly in England where women’s inequality is increasing under current public policies. In recent years we have seen attacks on legislation intended to promote greater equality, existing legislation not being implemented adequately and a regression in public attitudes to the principles of equality and social progress.
The recent Queen's speech and Government Programme address only some of these issues and only in part. The SW Women's Manifesto calls for action are now even more important.

We call on The Minister and all Government and Opposition MPs to pledge support to our ‘calls to action’.

We have identified a number of positive, achievable actions that would make a significant difference to women’s lives, making women:

• safer;
• healthier;
• more financially secure;
• a greater presence in public policy making

We believe these policies would improve the lives of children, vulnerable adults and the elderly, irrespective of gender. We are particularly concerned that women from BME communities continue to be more disadvantaged, even more than other women, and that the position of women is becoming worse relative to that of men. The discussions are moving more towards ‘families’ and women as individuals are disappearing from the agenda.
See: http://www.fairplaysouthwest.org.uk/manifesto

How it will be delivered

This petition will be resubmitted to the Minister as edited, by email in the first instance.

Category

Updates

2015-08-02 18:15:17 +0100

The revised petition went to the Minister in the new government (still Nicky Morgan), with just an acknowledgement received so far. Analyses of some of the summer 2015 Budget measures has been done by Women's Budget Group (http://wbg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/July-budget-briefing-2015-WBG.pdf) which shows just how much this petition is still needed. Please keep getting signatures. https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/endorse-the-sw-women-s-manifesto

2015-05-28 12:37:25 +0100

Now that we know who will be governing us for the next five years it is more important than ever to press the case for the 22 calls for action both inside parliament and out. This petition is now being reviewed. Please do comment if you have any ideas on how the issues should now be progressed. Thank you for all your signatures and comments so far.

2015-04-29 16:23:24 +0100

On 29th April the DCMS (Government Equalities Office) has responded to our petition. It identifies the things which the coalition government have done for women, whilst making no commitments for the future; I guess we must look in the separate manifestos for those? See the text of the letter on Fair Play South West Website (comments welcome, and I think we will still need to petition whoever is the new government - keep getting signatures!) http://www.fairplaysouthwest.org.uk/manifesto

2015-04-23 13:23:30 +0100

No response yet from the Minister, but this from the Labour Party to Fair Play South West:

"Thank you for your comments. I appreciate you took the time to get in touch and I have passed them on. Please find attached a copy of Labour’s plan for delivery for women that I hope will be of particular use to you and the members of Fair Play South West. This election is a choice between a failing plan and a better plan for working families. The Tories’ plan is failing working families because they choose to prioritise helping a few at the top. Labour’s plan is based on a simple truth: that Britain only succeeds when working families succeed. That’s why Labour’s plan offers a better future: for living standards, for the next generation, and for the NHS. Thank you again for getting in touch."
Labour's Strategy for Women was attached, see http://www.fairplaysouthwest.org.uk/manifesto

2015-04-07 12:08:15 +0100

Women's votes will count in this election! How would the different parties respond to the 22 calls for action in the SW Women's Manifesto? The current Minister for Women has been petitioned - so will the next one, so keep signing!!

2015-01-15 14:28:45 +0000

Signatures are creeping up, now 126, but we need more! Please make sure your followers and friends have signed! The manifesto has been reprinted and there are download resources at www.fairplaysouthwest.org.uk/manifesto

2014-12-16 11:44:09 +0000

Now we've reached 122 signatures we need to decide how to put pressure on the Minister to respond - how should we do this?

2014-11-28 22:16:42 +0000

100 signatures reached

2014-11-26 14:46:53 +0000

91 signatures so far!

2014-11-19 17:17:27 +0000

We re now up to 79 signatures - thank you everyone. It would be great if you could all send a copy to your MP asking her (or him) to question Nicky Morgan about her response.

2014-10-23 21:36:22 +0100

50 signatures reached

2014-10-20 10:38:50 +0100

25 signatures reached

2014-10-19 17:56:51 +0100

10 signatures reached