EQUALITY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN WALES: OUR MANIFESTO - Chwarae Teg
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EQUALITY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN WALES: OUR MANIFESTO In partnership with:
INTRODUCTION
Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales, 1. Gender equality education for all: Everyone
Chwarae Teg, Women Connect First and Welsh in Wales understands gender inequality and
Women’s Aid have a vision of a Wales where every is actively promoting gender equality.
woman and girl is treated equally, lives safe from
violence and fear and is able to fully participate 2. Promoting BME women: BME women in Wales
in the economy. We want to ensure that Wales feel that they are active citizens of Wales.
is the safest country in Europe to be a woman, 3. Equal leadership: Women’s full and active
where women and girls can flourish and actively participation with equal opportunities for
participate in their communities. This document leadership within political, economic and
sets us on the path to achieve this. public life.
Achieving gender equality and women’s rights 4. End violence against women and girls: Women
will have a positive impact on the well-being and girls to live free from violence, abuse and
of everyone living in Wales. It is good for our intimidation with access to specialist services
economy, our society and our culture. and justice.
Women, girls and women’s organisations are 5. Close the gender pay gap and access to fair
absolutely crucial to lead change. We recognise work: Women have access to fair and
the diverse experiences of women and that fulfilling paid work.
women and girls can face multiple forms of
discrimination as our identities intersect. We are 6. Women have independent lives: All women
united in our demands to do more to recognise and girls have access to the resources they
the rights of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME), need to live independent lives.
migrant, disabled, working-class, and LGBTIQ+
women. We are united too in our demands for 7. Care work is valued and shared: Create a
greater recognition of the multiple forms of caring economy in Wales.
discrimination and abuse experienced by trans
8. Women’s health and well-being is prioritised:
women as women. We also want to work with
High quality sexual reproductive health
men and boys as collaborators, who can
services available across Wales and
understand how women’s inequality impacts
reproductive rights.
on their lives and actively take a role to stop it.
9. Women’s rights maintained and advanced
Now is a crucial time for us to work together, to
post-Brexit: Ensure that women’s legal
call out the problems that women and girls face
rights are protected and advanced after
in Wales and create the solutions. This document
leaving the EU.
names the violence, the harassment, the gender
inequality that we experience, hear about and see. 10. Welsh Government accountable to women
It also spells out the actions that need to happen and girls: Women’s rights and gender equality
in Wales to end gender inequality and ensure is integrated within Welsh Government.
women’s rights are realised. It will not be easy
and we share bold, ambitious actions to achieve
our ten aims:
2 wenwales.org.uk @wenwalesThis Manifesto for gender equality and women’s However, LGBTIQ+, BME and disabled women
rights is written to improve the lives of women face multiple barriers to participation in political
and girls living in Wales, but we recognise that to and public life in Wales and we need to focus our
do that we need to deliver actions as individuals, attention on creating a more diverse democracy.
as communities, within local authorities, Welsh Currently there are no BME women in the
Government, UK Government and internationally. National Assembly and women’s representation
has fallen to 43%.
We are proud of the ways that Welsh Government
has already used its powers to write legislation International law and UN declarations push
and policy that takes forward our country’s forward gender equality and women’s rights
commitment to gender equality. However, across the world. The UN Convention on the
we are asking for Welsh Government to do Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against
more, to speed up implementation to deliver Women (CEDAW) provides a global framework
positive results for women and girls in Wales. for women’s human rights.1 The UN Sustainable
To further protect women’s rights and advance Development Goal 5 aims to ‘Achieve gender
equality through legislation and policy, calling equality and empower all women and girls’.2
for greater devolution where it is necessary to The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales)
achieve women’s equality, to challenge the UK Act 2015 maps against the UN Sustainable
Government on policy and legislation that has Development Goals. The Wales well-being goals
negative impacts on gender equality and women’s address the global challenge of gender equality
rights, and to actively mitigate the consequences. and women’s rights. Wales can play an important
role within this global movement.
We want the National Assembly for Wales and
Welsh Government to represent the needs Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales,
of women and girls in Wales at a UK and Chwarae Teg, Women Connect First and Welsh
international level: we want to be global leaders Women’s Aid now want to see Wales move from
on women’s rights to end gender inequality. laws with good intentions to actions that deliver
real change for women and girls in Wales.
This is a calling card. We cannot achieve gender
equality and women’s rights without you. To deliver our Manifesto for gender equality and
women’s rights in Wales will take time, resources
and sustained practical action. This Manifesto
EQUALITY FOR WOMEN of ten priority areas is designed to support
Welsh Government, policy makers, women’s
AND GIRLS IN WALES organisations and civil society to focus our
efforts and actions.
Wales has a new policy and a legislative Deeds not words.
framework that aims to put the promotion of
equality and human rights at the centre of Welsh
politics. New laws including the Violence Against
Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence
(Wales) Act 2015 and the Well-being of Future
Generations (Wales) Act 2015 provide us with
the foundations to build an equal and safe
country for women and girls to flourish.
The National Assembly for Wales has a strong
reputation for gender equality and in 2003 there
was a gender balance within the Assembly.
@wenwales wenwales.org.uk 3GENDER INEQUALITY IN WALES: THE PROBLEMS
55% 52%
of girls aged 7-21 say that gender
of women report being sexually
stereotypes affect their ability to
harassed in the workplace.
say what they think.
0% 15%
BME women Assembly Members gender pay gap. Average hourly
in National Assembly. pay for women in Wales is £10.57
compared to £12.75 for men.
For part-time workers, who are
predominantly women, average
43% Women and 57% Men in National
Assembly for Wales.
pay is even lower at £8.12 per
hour, compared with £12.26
for full-time workers.
26% Women and 74% Men Councillors.
22BN cost to women from
changes to welfare.
1/4
more than a quarter of women
(26%) in their 50s and early 60s
provide unpaid care.
1. Social norms, stereotypes and lack This then has a further impact on women’s
of knowledge on gender inequality. earning power with people working within
STEM (science, technology, engineering and
Social norms, stereotypes and expectations on maths) occupations earning on average 20%
gender, race, sex, sexuality, class, age and ability more than in other sectors.7
can intersect to hold women and girls back from
equality. A survey across the UK by Girl Guiding Gender norms and stereotypes within our
found that 37% of girls aged 11 to 21 say their society create male-dominated power
confidence would be better if there were no structures, industries and institutions,
gender stereotypes.3 It also found that 55% of as well as perpetuating patterns of abuse
girls said that gender stereotypes affect their whereby men hold power over women.
ability to say what they think.4 Sexism still exists within our institutions in the
form of structural oppression and discrimination.
Stereotypes and social norms around women
and girls being better at caring impacts on women 2. Sexism and racism intersect
and girls’ subject and career choices where 83% of to compound inequalities.
apprentices in health, public services and care are
women5 and 9% of apprentices in engineering and BME women face sexism and racism that can
manufacturing technologies are women.6 intersect with other inequalities and oppressions
to create bigger barriers to achieving equality,
leave women more at risk of violence and
further exposed to cuts in public spending.
4 wenwales.org.uk @wenwalesBME women face persistent structural inequalities Political institutions also lack the policies and
in education, employment, health and housing.8 facilities to encourage greater participation.
The Fawcett Society report found that only
BME women are less represented across 4% of councils had appropriate parental leave
apprenticeships in Wales,9 although it is policies or flexible working.18
difficult to determine the extent of this
under-representation as data is not disaggregated Increasing women’s participation and leadership
by gender and race Things appear to be getting makes a positive impact on politics and businesses.
worse, not better, with a 76% rise in racist hate Research by Mckinsey & Co. found that in the UK,
crime in the summer of 2016.10 greater gender diversity on a senior management
team corresponded to higher performance with
Support services for BME women are also an increase in financial performance.19 With equal
facing severe funding cuts and insecure futures. representation of women in the National
Regional needs assessments often fail to identify Assembly for Wales, women will be in a better
the needs of BME women11 meaning that services position to shape the political agenda to advance
that are run by and for BME women are not being gender equality. Research has found that woman
appropriately commissioned at a local level. Assembly Members are much more likely to raise
It is difficult to have a full understanding of the issues, ask questions and intervene on equal pay,
situation for BME women and girls as there is a domestic abuse, women’s health and child care.20
lack of data available and current data sets are 4. Violence against women and girls.
not further disaggregated.
Violence against women and girls includes
3. Unequal leadership. different forms of violence – female genital
Women form 52% of the population in Wales, mutilation (FGM), domestic abuse, rape and
yet do not hold an equal share of power within sexual violence, sexual harassment, ‘honour’
Welsh life. Only 18% of council leaders in Wales based violence and forced marriage, trafficking
are currently women and women make up 43% for sexual exploitation including prostitution.
of Assembly Members.12 In Wales 6% of chief Welsh Government recognises: “Violence
executives or equivalent of top 100 businesses are against women is a violation of human rights
women.13 LGBTIQ+, disabled, working-class and and both a cause and consequence of
BME women face additional barriers to accessing inequality between women and men, and it
power and representing themselves in Welsh happens to women because they are women
political and public life. Disabled or BME people and women are disproportionately impacted
hold less than 4% of public appointments14, by all forms of violence.”21
although again we do not have the data to
fully understand the experiences of BME
and disabled women.
Inequality and discrimination remains within
our political institutions and public life in Wales.
EHRC research found that disabled people faced
negative attitudes and obstacles to accessing
public life.15 A recent Fawcett Society report16
found that one third of female councillors
reported experiencing sexist comments from
other councillors and half of disabled councillors
reported facing multiple discrimination.17
@wenwales wenwales.org.uk 51 in 3 women in Wales will experience physical Research by the Equality and Human Rights
or sexual violence at some point in their lives.22 Commission (EHRC) found that disabled people
Disabled women are more likely to experience are less likely to be employed than non-disabled
domestic violence, emotional abuse, and sexual people and when employed are lower paid.35
assault than non-disabled women.23 In 2016/17, The current gender pay gap between disabled
14,129 survivors of abuse were supported by and non-disabled women is 22%.36 Despite
specialist services in Wales, including 1,596 qualifications, disabled women have lower
women, 1,221 children and young people and participation rates in higher skilled jobs and
31 men supported in refuges in Wales.24 24% of work fewer hours than non-disabled women.37
survivors accepted into refuges identified as BME
and 61% reported having a mental health issue.25 Women still face direct discrimination within
the workplace. Research by the EHRC found that
Sexual harassment is prevalent within our one in five mothers said they had experienced
workplaces, public places and institutions. harassment or negative comments related
The TUC found that more than half of the women to pregnancy or flexible working from their
they asked had experienced sexual harassment employer.38 The TUC found that 52% of women
in the workplace26 and the End Violence Against reported being sexually harassed in the
Women coalition found that 85% of women aged workplace in 2016.39
18-24 had experienced unwanted sexual attention
in public places.27 Girl Guides’ research found that 6. Changes to welfare and tax that restrict
64% of girls experienced sexual harassment in women’s lives.
schools in 2017.28 Since 2010 cuts to public spending on social
5. Gender pay gap. security payments and public services have meant
that women are unable to access the resources
Occupational segregation, low paid part-time work, needed to live independent lives. Between
women’s responsibility for unpaid care and more 2010-15 there were £26 billion of welfare cuts,
women working in low-paid, feminised sectors £22 billion worth were borne by women.40 On
contribute to a persistent gender pay gap and a average, women will suffer an annual loss of £940
greater risk of poverty for women. Average hourly as a result, almost double that of men.41 Single
pay for women in Wales is £10.38 compared to mothers, who make up 90% of all single parents,
£12.19 for men.29 For part-time workers, who are are predicted to face an average loss of £5250 per
predominantly women, average pay is even year, while disabled single parents who have at
lower at £8.80 per hour, compared with £12.52 least one disabled child will face average loses
for full-time workers.30 The gender pay gap in of £10,000 per year.42 A Runnymead Trust report43
Wales is currently 15%. Closing the gaps in our in the UK found that BME women are more likely
labour market that contribute to the gender pay to live in poverty, to have dependent children and
gap has the potential to create an additional larger families, and are therefore more likely to
£150bn for the UK economy.32 be impacted by cuts to public spending.
BME and disabled women face multiple barriers A recent EHRC report found that cumulative
within the workplace, often experiencing changes to tax and social security had the
discrimination at every stage of the recruitment biggest impact on those with the lowest
process.33 The Runnymede Trust found that BME incomes.44 The report also found that there is a
women are more likely to be unemployed than disproportionately negative impact on disabled
their White counterparts, even when qualifications people, certain BME people, and women.45
are taken into account.34 Households with at least one disabled adult
and a disabled child will face an average
annual cash loss of just over £6,500.46
6 wenwales.org.uk @wenwalesWelfare reforms are having dire consequences Women remain the primary carer for children
for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse and with 94% of UK Child Benefit Claims are paid to
are controlling low-income women’s reproductive women,51 and nearly half of mothers in Wales say
rights. With one in five British adults having they are solely or mainly responsible for child
experienced financial abuse in a current or past care (compared with just 4% of fathers).52 In the
relationship47 the change to Universal Credit UK, women do 70% of household chores.53
being made as a payment to one member of the
household will increase the control that one Women’s ambitions, achievements and health can
partner has over the other. Changes to Child Tax be curtailed by a lack of affordable and flexible
Credits have limited payments to two children childcare and social care. Young women carers,
with a ‘rape clause’ creating an exemption when especially those providing 50 hours or more
a parent can prove that a child was conceived of unpaid care, are less likely to participate in
through rape. Welfare changes reduce the amount further and higher education than non-carers.54
of money that a woman can access to support her Women aged 45-54 were over twice as likely as
family on her own: this means women will face other carers to have reduced their working hours
additional barriers to leaving a relationship. as a result of caring responsibilities.55 Women
disproportionately take responsibility for unpaid
Migrant women face an increase in risk of child care and this inequality has been identified
destitution due to recent changes to the as a contributory factor to the gender pay gap.56
Immigration Act 2016 and the introduction of
Universal Credit. The Immigration Act 2016 made Fathers and second parents report that they want
changes to create a ‘hostile environment’ for to spend more time caring for their children but
those without a legal right to reside in the UK face financial, cultural and workplace barriers
through restricting access to accommodation, to taking a more equal role in childcare.57 Policy
financial support, employment, bank accounts, and legislation has not caught up with this social
driving licences, civil partnership and marriage. change. There has been a low uptake of shared
The introduction of Universal Credit will parental leave with just 250 men in 2016/17
potentially delay welfare payments for six in Wales taking up shared parental leave,
weeks, increasing gaps in provisions for according to HMRC statistics obtained by BBC
refugees, whose support ends within 28 days Wales.58 The right to request flexible working
of being granted status. An estimate of those has not yet changed our workplace cultures59
becoming destitute each year in Wales is and men’s ability to access support for childcare
between 500 to 1,000 individuals.48 responsibilities within the workplace is restricted.60
7. Care work is unpaid, undervalued and Women dominate the care work sector where
disproportionately delivered by women. they do low paid jobs, often with insecure hours
and with proportionally fewer women in senior
Our economy and society cannot survive positions. In Wales, nearly two thirds (63%) of
without the paid and unpaid care and women and men employed as carers say they are
household work that is done by women across struggling to afford household bills and nearly
Wales. Unpaid care work for disabled, seriously one third cut back on heating and food.61 Low pay
ill or older people is mainly done by women and is common within the care sector with 56% of care
amounts to £8.1 billion a year in Wales – almost workers in Wales on zero-hour contracts.62 With
doubling in the last 15 years.49 In 2011 more than an ageing population, there will be increased
a quarter of women in their 50s and early 60s demand for care in the near future. Public Health
provided unpaid care.50 Wales estimates there will be 184,000 people in
Wales aged 85 or over by 2036, an increase of
145% since 2011.63
@wenwales wenwales.org.uk 78. Women and girls face health inequalities. Welsh Government has committed to providing
Wales’ first transgender healthcare clinic in
Women and girls live longer but face more health Cardiff, which will be supported by a network
issues throughout their lifetime and there is often of GPs with specialist interest in gender care.73
a lack of understanding of specific health issues Prior to this, all trans people accessing support
experienced by women and girls. WEN Wales’ through NHS Wales were referred to the Gender
research into the menopause found that there Identity Clinic in London, with referral times of up
was an inconsistency in information, advice and to two years for an initial appointment and the
support for women experiencing the menopause.64 additional barrier of travel.
WEN Wales also found anecdotal evidence that
women and girls with endometriosis are being 9. Threats to equalities and human rights
ignored and their health needs not recognised legislation post-Brexit.
by health professionals.65
We are concerned that the impact of leaving
Across Wales there are currently inequalities the EU will mean a roll-back of legal rights for
in access to abortion, with women facing long women, reduce funding for women’s organisations
waiting lists and women forced to pay for private and put extra pressure on specialist services.
terminations. The British Pregnancy Advisory As the UK exits the EU, Wales looks set to lose
Service reported that across Wales, 52% of women around £680m annually of EU funding. If the UK
accessing an abortion through the BPA receive Government does not replace these funds it will
funding from NHS Wales, compared to 98.9% have a massive impact on equality and the Welsh
across the UK.66 economy, including our growth, job creation and
retention.74 We are also concerned that there will
Disabled women living in Wales do not have continue to be a rise in hate-crime against BME
equal access to health care and disabled people women and that women will be turned away
are more likely to die younger, experience from the services that they need.
health inequalities and major health conditions,
than other people.67 Disability Wales found that No longer being a signatory to the EU Charter
almost half (42%) of Deaf British sign language of Fundamental Rights will create gaps in human
users say communication at their appointments rights protection.75 For example, it includes ‘a
is not adequate because they do not have an free-standing right to non-discrimination,
interpreter.68 Action on Hearing Loss found that protection of a child’s best interests and the
over a quarter (29%) of people surveyed said right to human dignity.’ It will also mean there
that they have to ask a family member, friend or is less power to protect women’s rights.
support worker to call their GP surgery on their Losing the protection and arbitration of the
behalf.69 The Committee for the UN on the Rights Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)
of Disabled People noted that in the UK, disabled will mean an end to our current safeguards to
women and girls faced multiple barriers when equalities legislation. EU equalities legislation
accessing sexual and reproductive health services, that has not been finalised or incorporated
with a lack of accessible information.70 into UK law will be lost – for example the EU is
currently considering new legislation that further
Research conducted by Stonewall71 shows that protects parental leave, flexible working and
two in five trans people (41%) said that healthcare breast feeding in work.76
staff lacked understanding of specific trans health
needs when accessing general healthcare services It will also limit our ability to stay at the forefront
in the last year. This number increases to half of of global equalities legislation and policy as
trans people (51%) living in Wales. In addition, we will no longer be taking an active role to
7% of trans people said they have been refused help shape EU equalities law and automatically
care because they are LGBT, while trying to incorporating this within UK law.
access healthcare services in the last year.72
8 wenwales.org.uk @wenwalesGENDER EQUALITY IN WALES: THE SOLUTIONS
Independent Lives
Education
By 2020 produce an action plan
By 2020 all public-sector staff to
to mitigate impact of welfare
have been trained to ‘Ask and Act’.
reform on women.
BME Women Childcare
By 2020 develop strategy and agree By 2021 affordable and
an action plan to get more BME subsidised childcare for all parents
women into employment, political (not just those working) from the
and public life. age of 6 months.
Equal Leadership Women’s Health
By 2021 at least a 50:50 National By 2021 make the menopause a
Assembly for Wales, and Welsh specific health issue within the
Government (Cabinet). National Quality Framework.
Post-Brexit
End Violence Against Women
Women’s rights maintained
By 2020 no one is turned away and advanced post-Brexit and
from specialist services in Wales. enshrined in Welsh law.
Close The Gender Pay Gap Accountability
By 2028 halve the gender Appoint a Cabinet Secretary
pay gap from 15% to 7%. for women by 2021.
1. Gender equality education for all: Everyone in We understand that gender inequality is both
Wales understands gender inequality and is a cause and consequence of violence against
actively promoting gender equality. women and girls. We know that to prevent
violence we need to educate, challenge and
For the long-term and for sustainable prevention
change our unequal culture and society.
of gender inequality we need to change our
education system. The new curriculum for Wales We want Welsh Government to:
and relevant national training frameworks must
• By 2020 make Sexuality and Relationship
include statutory opportunities for people to
Education (SRE) a statutory part of the
increase their understanding of gender inequality
new Welsh curriculum and develop new
and violence against women. We must also
SRE statutory guidance that includes a
address gender stereotypes within our education
whole-school approach to its delivery
system that have become structural barriers to
and to ending violence against women and
women and girls fulfilling their aspirations and
girls, with all education staff trained and
ambitions, particularly when it comes to careers
knowing how to deal with disclosure.
within science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM).
@wenwales wenwales.org.uk 9• By 2021 review and create targets for publicly • Gender awareness training to form part of
funded Apprenticeships and Traineeships to Continual Professional Development (CPD)
reduce gender segregation in different sectors training for careers professionals.
and occupations.
2. Promoting BME women: BME women in Wales
• By 2020 all public-sector staff to have been feel that they are active citizens of Wales.
trained to ‘Ask and Act’ to recognise and
respond to disclosures of violence against In the past, decisions have been made that
women, and sustainable investment into mean BME women are not at the forefront of the
specialist services so that women and girls women’s movement, the workforce or political
impacted by abuse can be supported to life in Wales. We are united to change this. We
continue their education. need to reflect on the structural barriers that
BME women face and recognise the racism and
• Year on year, communicate clear messages to
discrimination inherent within our communities
promote gender equality through campaigns
and country. We must work together with BME
and work with the media to challenge gender
women to ensure that we listen and find solutions
inequality and to diversify the workforce.
to the intersection of inequalities.
• Continually strive to understand the impact of
gender inequality by thorough equality impact We want Welsh Government to:
assessments, desegregating data by gender, • By 2020 develop a strategy in collaboration
race, disability and sexuality and supporting with BME women to identify the barriers that
a Wales gender research centre. women face to equality and agree an action
• Hold procured services and local authorities plan that delivers more BME women into
to account on their promotion of gender employment, political and public life.
equality so that it is in line with the public • By 2020 produce a review of equality impact
sector equality duty. assessments and the public-sector equality
duty to specifically look at the impact on
We want action in other areas:
gender and race as they intersect in women’s
• Estyn to establish an assessment tool for experiences of inequality. This needs to take
education institutions in Wales on their delivery into consideration the visibility of BME women
of a whole-education approach to ending in rural Wales.
violence against women. • By 2020 review gaps in current funding and
• EHRC to review the implementation of the increase funding to ensure that BME women’s
Public-Sector Equality Duty and to enforce organisations, workers and leaders are
the delivery by public services, including recognised, included and resourced to deliver
education institutions. work that reaches out to support women and
• Public service boards to be committed to girls within our communities.
gender equality, to train board members and • Publish and analyse data that is disaggregated
actively promote gender equality. by gender and race.
• Business and religious leaders and the media to • Review the Apprenticeship frameworks to
use their influence to actively promote gender make it accessible to asylum seekers and
equality with training programmes for their to include indicators to ensure men and
staff, communications campaigns and setting women benefit equally from the creation
targets to achieve gender parity on boards. of 100,000 apprenticeships.
10 wenwales.org.uk @wenwalesWe want the UK Government to: • By 2020 a commitment from all Welsh political
parties to appoint a gender balanced cabinet
• Stop detaining women and children
if elected within Local Councils and Welsh
in immigration centres.
Government.
We want action in other areas: • Change the National Assembly electoral
• Third sector organisations, local authorities system by implementing all the Assembly
and businesses to review their practices to Electoral Reform Expert Panel’s
identify if particular groups of women are not recommendations:
engaging with the service or organisation and By 2021 gender quotas integrated into
to develop a strategic approach to ensure BME the electoral system so that all political
women are engaged and actively participating. parties put forward at least 50% women
• Further education institutions to provide candidates to support and encourage a
funding and grants for asylum seekers and gender-balanced parliament for Wales.
refugees to access education. Job sharing: electoral law should be
3. Equal Leadership: Women’s full and active changed to enable candidates to stand
participation with equal opportunities for for election based on transparent
leadership within political, economic and job-sharing arrangements.
public life. Compulsory publication regarding
candidate diversity: the Assembly should
Over the next few years Assembly electoral
request that the Secretary of State
reform could provide a crucial opportunity to
commences Section 106 of the Equality
make substantial changes to the gender balance
Act 2010 in relation to Assembly elections,
within Welsh politics. International evidence
or transfers the powers to do so to Welsh
shows that the most effective means of delivering
Ministers, so that information on the
political change is the implementation of positive
diversity of all candidates from all parties
action measures such as statutory quotas. Of the
is openly available.
33 countries with 30 per cent or more women in
parliament today, 26 have quotas in place that • By 2020 Welsh Government to set the agenda
helped to ensure this outcome.77 and support businesses in Wales to increase
the number of women in leadership positions.
We want from Welsh Government and
• By 2019 Welsh Government to review the
all political parties:
potential of new legislation in Wales on
• By 2021 at least a 50:50 National Assembly for ‘Gender Representation on Public Boards’ as
Wales, and Welsh Government (Cabinet), this recently enacted through Scottish legislation.78
includes increasing representation of BME,
We want action in other areas:
LGBTIQ+, disabled and working-class women.
• By 2021 Welsh Government should commit • By 2020 all public appointments onto boards
to long-term funding to increase the to achieve 50:50 gender balance.
representation and active participation of BME, • Business boards and public service boards to
LGBTIQ+, disabled and working-class women agree positive action to create 50:50 gender
in public and political life in Wales. Projects balance and be required to set targets for
could be delivered in collaboration with the achieving them.
third sector and an Access to Elected Office • By 2025 all local authorities to introduce
fund should be set up and include measures reasonable adjustments policies for
to ensure that disabled women have equal disabled councillors.
opportunities to benefit from the fund.
@wenwales wenwales.org.uk 114. End violence against women and girls: • Ensure the provision of support and advocacy
Women and girls to live free from violence, through the family courts for survivors of
abuse and intimidation with access to abuse, and delivery of safe child contact for
specialist services and justice. children impacted by VAWDASV. This will
protect from re-victimisation within the
Ending violence against women will take a
court system.
strategic and co-ordinated approach. In Wales,
the Violence Against Women Domestic Abuse • By 2019 ensure adequate funding is available
and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) Act 2015 to support disabled women and girls seeking
provides the framework for this and now support for domestic abuse services. This
we must push forward with delivery. funding will provide communication support
or adaptations to ensure services and buildings
It is crucial that the doors of essential support are accessible to disabled women and girls.
services remain open. Sustainable, long term
• Ensure there is adequate provision for
funding must be allocated from across national
violence against women and girls prevention
and local government funding streams. There is
initiatives to create more supportive, resilient
a significant risk to the sustainability of sexual
communities that are knowledgeable about
violence services, refuges and specialist services
violence against women and girls. These
for BME women79 and children.
should include the creation of spaces where
We want Welsh Government to: people who have experienced abuse can feel
safe to access vital information and be directed
• By 2020 ring fenced, cross-departmental
to the help that they need the first time around.
national and local sustainable funding
identified and allocated for women’s We want the UK Government to:
organisations and third sector violence against • Work with Welsh Government to develop an
women and girls services so no one is turned action plan for the distribution of housing
away. This includes funding to support children benefit funds to specialist services in Wales so
who have experienced violence and support for that services receive the resources they need
women experiencing multiple disadvantage. to stay open.
• By 2019 a robust ‘Dignity and Respect’ policy • End the practice of sexual history being used
must be in place at the National Assembly for in sexual violence legal cases, including reform
Wales including: of Section 4181 and allowing survivors to have
A clear set of sanctions for those that legal representation if it is utilized.
breach the policy. • Address commercial sexual exploitation
Mechanisms to allow complaints that date by decriminalizing and providing support/
back over 12 months to be investigated. financial independence for women to exit the
Those dealing with complaints having the sex industry and criminalise buying people
expertise and experience to deal with sexual for sex to reduce demand that drives the sex
harassment cases. industry/trafficking.
All Assembly staff must be trained to • Strengthen sexual harassment law to
understand and implement the policy. cover harassment from customers,
clients and co-workers.
• By 2021 Welsh Government to successfully
implement, across all departments, the We want action in other areas:
VAWDASV National Strategy commitments • All Public Service Boards to develop and
including delivering the Council of Europe deliver an effective model of commissioning
Convention on Preventing and Combating across all areas, with the prioritisation and
Violence Against Women (the ‘Istanbul mainstreaming of VAWDASV prevention,
Convention’) state obligations that are protection, and provision of specialist
relevant to Wales.80 services for survivors.
12 wenwales.org.uk @wenwales• Employers to put in place robust processes to We want the UK Government to:
deal with disclosure of all forms of violence
• By 2025 lower the threshold for statutory
against women, including sexual harassment
gender pay gap reporting to companies
with a clear code of conduct for staff.
with 100+ employees.
• Delivery of awareness raising campaigns,
training and information on what constitutes We want action in other areas:
sexual harassment, the help available and • Local authorities to consider incorporating
how to prevent it, within workplaces, the principles outlined in the Economic
education and public institutions. Action Plan on fair work into their own
5. Close the gender pay gap and access to procurement processes so that they monitor
fair work: Women have access to fair and fair work of businesses.
fulfilling paid work. • Businesses to commit to paying staff a living
wage (as calculated by the Living Wage
Fair and fulfilling work is central to tackling
Foundation82) and to facilitate flexible working
poverty in Wales and can also help to address
practices.
some of the economic inequalities women
continue to face. We define fair work as being • Businesses to publish gender pay gap data and
flexible and secure with no zero-hours contracts, details of actions that will be taken to address
with a decent wage, access to parental leave, any identified gaps.
flexible and affordable childcare and with no
gender pay gap. Welsh Government can use 6. Women have independent lives: All women
procurement as a powerful lever to encourage and girls have access to the resources they
businesses to follow fair work principles. need to live independent lives.
We want Welsh Government to: Welsh Government must strengthen its
commitment to reducing poverty in Wales.
• By 2028 halve the gender pay gap from To do this we have to work together to mitigate
15% to 7%. the impact of UK Government welfare changes.
• By 2020 all Welsh Government contracts to We must collaborate to find innovative and
local government and procured businesses long-term solutions to enable women to live
to be delivering to the fair work standards. independent lives.
• By 2021 a framework for monitoring indicators The UK Government has the responsibility for tax
on decent and fair work for women in Wales, and social security changes, therefore our asks are
including national well-being indicators. also focused on actions for the UK Government.
• Include specialist employability services for
We want Welsh Government to:
women within the employability Delivery
Plan and the development of Working Wales • By 2020 produce an action plan to mitigate
programme, including specifically addressing the impact of welfare reform that is cross-
issues faced by disabled women. departmental and linked to devolved policies
• Include flexible provision, networking, on equality, poverty, employment, housing,
confidence building, and actively encourage social care and childcare. This needs to take
women into careers in IT, science, technology, specific consideration of the impact of welfare
maths, construction and engineering. cuts on survivors of violence, rural, disabled,
older, migrant, refugee and BME women,
• Provide education and training programmes
single mothers and unpaid carers.
for asylum seeker and refugee women to help
women back into the work place, such as the
Oxfam ‘Skills for Life’ project.
@wenwales wenwales.org.uk 13• By 2021 develop a model of support for 7. Care work is valued and shared:
destitute migrant women that is based on Create a caring economy in Wales.
grants and improvements to specialist support.
Caring for others can be immensely rewarding
This will ensure women have access to
at the same time as being a heavy responsibility.
advocacy and resources, reducing a destitute
We want women’s unpaid care work to be valued
woman’s risk of exploitation and enabling her
and the responsibilities to be shared. Men and
to leave a violent relationship.
second parents need more ambitious changes to
• By 2019 finalise and publish the revised parental leave to enable them to play an equal
Framework for Action on Independent Living, role in child care. We must change our culture
and ensure it is integrated across Welsh to recognise the enormous value of care and
Government policies and aligned to the redistribute responsibilities.
principles of the Convention on the Elimination
of all forms of Discrimination Against Women Women run our care economy in Wales.
(CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights We want fair wages, career development and
of Persons with Disabilities (CRDP). safe and secure work. It is time for us to take
forward our new policy agenda, including the
• By 2019 distribute clear information on the
early years and child care workforce ten-year
rights of migrants, including EU citizens to
plan, the employability and economic action
access support services in Wales.
plan and work that is already being done on the
• Publish cumulative equality impact professionalisation of the care sector. We must
assessments of tax and social security invest in the care economy of Wales.
changes, with additional resources to boost
data collection where the sample size is We want Welsh Government to:
currently small. • By 2021 provide childcare that meets the needs
of parents or carers by ensuring guaranteed
We want the UK Government to: flexible, affordable and subsidised childcare
• By 2019 conduct a detailed and cumulative for all parents from the age of 6 months
equality impact assessment on the impact of (rather than from 3 years for parents currently
all tax and social security changes to ensure in employment).
that households that receive social security • When rolled out the Welsh Government’s
payments have an adequate standard of living. 30 hours of free child care scheme
• By 2020 provide a ‘bridging’ pension as an allows registered childminders to care
income for women impacted by recent changes for their relatives.
to the state pension arrangements. This will be • By 2021 invest in the carers workforce by
provided to all women until their State Pension delivering training and development for staff.
Age, it will not be means-tested and with This needs to be co-ordinated across different
compensation for losses for those women who policy areas to develop the professionalisation
have already reached their State Pension Age. of the sector and can extend the existing
• By 2021 review the impact of the changes to work of Social Care Wales to develop new
Child Tax Credits to specifically understand the qualifications, register workers and develop
impact of the ‘rape clause’ and consider how career pathways.
women can access child benefit payments for • By 2021 review the commissioning framework
all their children. of social care to ensure that local authorities
• By 2021 review the legal aid criteria to ensure change the weighting used when awarding
women can have equal access to legal aid contracts for the delivery of care, so that
across civil and family court systems. quality is considered at least equally with cost
and that care contracts are delivered to an
agreed set of terms and conditions for workers.
14 wenwales.org.uk @wenwales• Review social care provision for women, 8. Women’s health and well-being is prioritised:
including the dignity and safety of women High quality sexual reproductive health
in care homes and supported housing. services available across Wales and
• Include social infrastructure in the role of the reproductive rights.
National Infrastructure Board and review the Health commissioning and service delivery must
share of investment in physical and social recognise and respond to the needs of women
infrastructure in Wales. and girls in Wales. We need to know more
We want the UK Government to: about women and girls sexual, reproductive and
maternal health, ensuring that health information
• By 2021 increase paternity leave pay to and services are available and accessible to all.
90% of full pay and give fathers 12 weeks of
non-transferable paternity leave to enable We want Welsh Government to:
both parents to take their full share and the • By 2028 review and improve mental health
opportunity to care for their children. services and therapeutic care for women and
• Ensure that self-employed people have equal children who have experienced trauma and
access to maternity and paternity leave. to improve access to long term support to
• Increase the budget for social care to match improve well-being and mitigate the impact
the rising demand for care services. of adverse childhood experiences.
• Investigate how unpaid care work can be • By 2025 abortion services to be available for
recognised through new ways of measuring all women, regardless of where they live in
the GDP and productivity, as well as initiatives Wales through an access to abortion national
such as Universal Basic Income for all that framework that includes measures to eliminate
will recognise the currently unpaid care and the harassment that women and girls face
household work of women. when attending abortion centres like the buffer
zones introduced by Ealing Council.
• Review the potential for legislation for
workers to have 5-10 days paid care leave • By 2025 review national and regional
entitlement a year. commissioning of services by local health
boards to ensure that disaggregated data is
We want action in other areas: collected, services are accessible, and services
• Local authorities to review and amend the are being delivered to respond to the needs
local out-of-hours grant for schools to provide of women. This includes sexual health, eating
wrap around child care. disorder services, transgender services,
• Businesses to offer enhanced parental leave trans-aware health screening, better treatment
payments for men and women. of endometriosis and menopause, an FGM
clinic, and specialist maternity Mother and
• Men to start sharing the responsibilities of
Baby Units available in Wales.
care for the young, older, disabled and sick
in our communities. • By 2021 take measures to remove the
barriers that disabled women and girls face
• Local authorities to ensure that all companies
in accessing healthcare in Wales, particularly
that submit bids for contracts do so based
in respect to mental health, sexual and
on agreed set of working conditions for staff,
reproductive services and information.
including living wage and flexible working,
to prevent companies from squeezing terms • By 2021 provide training and invest in
and conditions to offer a lower cost. research into endometriosis.
@wenwales wenwales.org.uk 15• By 2019 make the menopause a We want Welsh Government to:
‘specific health issue’ within the
• By 2020 work closely with the UK Government
Corporate Health Standard, Welsh
to ensure that women’s legal rights are
Government’s national quality framework
protected post-Brexit and there are no
and work with employers to improve
reductions in rights following the UK’s
health and well-being in the workplace.
exit from the European Union.
• By 2021 improve training for GPs and
• By 2026 the principles of CEDAW, the
healthcare information available for
‘Istanbul Convention’ and the EU Charter
women experiencing the menopause,
of Human Rights should be incorporated
including psychological symptoms.
into Welsh legislation.
We want UK Government to: • Agree to a ‘constitutional right to equality’ that
• Strengthen health and safety protections and will need further devolution agreements to
enforcement to ensure that employers cannot ensure this applies to the National Assembly
get away with ignoring the health, safety and for Wales and will require any bills to be
welfare of women with menopausal symptoms. assessed to determine if they are compliant
to the ‘right to equality’.
We want action in other areas:
We want the UK Government to:
• Local health boards to recognise gender
inequality within their own commissioning • By 2021 ensure that the Shared Prosperity
of services and work to ensure that women’s Fund is administered in Wales,
health needs are responded to. is re-distributive and maintains a focus
• Employers to support women going through on tackling poverty and inequality.
the menopause and have a clear workplace • Cement promises that Wales will continue to
policy in place and training for staff. receive identical financial support as provided
by the EU, through the UK Government Shared
9. Women’s rights maintained and advanced post- Prosperity Fund.
Brexit: Ensure that women’s legal rights are
protected and advanced after leaving the EU. • By 2022 strengthen the Equality Act 2010
to put a duty on the UK Parliament to
Welsh Government must use its powers to assess new legislation and policy to ensure
continue to create policy and legislation that that it has a positive impact on equality.
holds institutions, organisations and individuals The amendment must also ensure that UK
accountable to deliver gender equality and courts take account of the Equality Act when
protect women’s human rights. We can strengthen interpreting legislation.
the Equality Act 2010 and adopt International and • By 2022 develop a UK equality strategy that is
EU conventions into Welsh legislation. cross-departmental and provides a platform for
The UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund engagement with civil society organisations.
must focus on addressing inequality and poverty • Carry out consultations with key stakeholders
and be distributed in Wales. The legacy of past and beneficiaries of structural funds in Wales
EU funding to Wales with successful programmes as soon as possible to understand the benefits
supporting women’s employment and addressing and impact of this funding so that it can be
gender inequality must be maintained. replicated using UK Government’s Shared
Prosperity Fund post-Brexit.
16 wenwales.org.uk @wenwalesWe want action in other areas:
• The Welsh Affairs Committee to carry out
an inquiry into post-Brexit funding in Wales,
including consideration of the impact this
CONCLUSION
will have on gender equality. Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales,
10. Welsh Government accountable to women Chwarae Teg, Women Connect First and Welsh
and girls: Women’s rights and gender equality Women’s Aid are committed to reviewing this
is integrated within Welsh Government. plan annually to see how progress has been made.
A strong accountability mechanism is needed to
We believe that by taking the above actions
ensure the delivery of the actions outlined within
we can achieve equality in women’s economic,
this manifesto. This needs to happen within the
political and social lives. We call on Welsh
machinery of Welsh Government and throughout
Government and other actors to review our
the women’s movement in Wales.
recommendations and put them in to place
We want Welsh Government to: as soon as possible. Working together,
• By 2019 work with women’s organisations gender equality in Wales can become
in Wales to conduct a rapid review of the a reality in our lifetimes.
policy and legislative framework in Wales
to strengthen action on gender equality
and women’s rights.
• By 2020 produce a set of national gender
equality indicators with the desegregation
of data and a review of the national
well-being indicators.
• By 2021 a Cabinet Secretary for Women
should be appointed.
We want action in other areas:
• Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales,
Chwarae Teg, Women Connect First and
Welsh Women’s Aid will continue to hold
Welsh Government to account with an
annual review of these policy asks.
• Third sector organisations and individuals
to use this manifesto to call for the change
we want to see.
@wenwales wenwales.org.uk 17REFERENCES
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Ibid. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/
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Ibid. files/research-report-107-the-disability-pay-gap-executive-
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EHRC research report 65: Pathways to politics summary.pdf
Catherine Durose, Francesca Gains, Liz Richardson, 36
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Ibid. disadvantage: Summary of key findings, EHRC 2018
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Ibid. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/managing-
19
Diversity Matters, Hunt, Layton and Prince, Mckinsey & pregnancy-and-maternity-workplace/pregnancy-and-
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http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2014/violence-against-
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18 wenwales.org.uk @wenwalesYou can also read
