Other Gender Projects
Rural Women's Network
The Rurual Women's Network aims to help all rural women in Somerset to live life to the full, providing support and advice services for all what ever their aim in life.
For more information on support services, training and events visit Rural Women's Network
Women in Business
The aim of Women in Business is to encourage more women to become business owners and support women who own their own business, employed women and women at home by offering mutual support with a holistic approach.
For more information visit Women in Business
Women in Rural Isolation, Lantra
The project, led by Lantra in association with Somerset Learning and Skills Council and co-financed by the European Social Fund has been created to give women aged 16+ looking to break into rural jobs the opportunity to do so. You can be employed, self employed or unemployed to be eligible and there is no upper age limit.
For more information visit Lantra
"Women in rural isolation are calling for more entrepreneurial know-how in business operation and management, marketing, financial management and higher level IT skills".
To get involved with the project or for more information, contact Malcolm Florey, Project Manager on 01395 446806 or e-mail floreymalcolm@yahoo.co.uk"
Gender, Employment and the Local Labour Market. Somerset
Detailed research on gender and employment in Somerset, ‘Gender Profile of Somerset’s Labour Market’ explores the relative labour market situation of women and men in Somerset, compared to the South West region and England as a whole. The chapters are: The local Setting; Education and Skills; Trends and Patters in Women's and Men's Employment; The Gender Pay Gap; Unemployment and Economic Inactivity; Women, Men and Diversity, and Work-Life Balance.
To read the report visit Gender Profile of Somerset's Labour Market
Exeter University - Parental returnees to work
Researchers from Exeter University are currently looking at the challenges that some equalities communities face in the workplace. This groundbreaking research into (if and) how being marginalised affects professionals starts in June 2006 with small focus groups and one-on-one interviews to explore the themes and issues surrounding individuals and groups from Black & Minority Ethnic, LGBT, Disabled and Parental returnees to work (after a childcare break).
If you are a parent returning to work please take a few minutes to complete the online questionaire. For further information please contact Cate Atkins on 01392 262418
Fawcett Society Bristol Local Group - Campaigning for the Equality of Women in the UK
The Fawcett Society explain their vision as a society in which women and men enjoy equality at work, at home and in public life. They campaign on women’s representation in politics and public life; pay, pensions and poverty; valuing caring work; and the treatment of women in the justice system. The Fawcett Society has a Bristol local group who operate entirely with voluntary membership who's co-ordinator is Helen Mott who can be reached on helen.inbristol@blueyonder.co.uk
University of West England - The West of England and South Wales Women's History Network
This group was set up in 1993 by a group of women academics who wanted to encourage research and stimulate interest in women's history and gender history in the south west of Britain and meets throughout the South West. Their meetings are open to any woman or man who is interested - you don't have to be a member to go along. Currently, membership rates are £5 full and £2 unwaged/student.
For further information visit their website: http://humanities.uwe.ac.uk/swhisnet/swhisnet.htm or contact Kath Holden of the Faculty of Humanities, University of the West of England on 0117 344 4395 or 4545.
Fair Play South West - Regional Equality Association
Fair Play South West's focus is to widen membership to embrace women’s organisations and networks in the South West and to find ways to facilitate the development of a regional network where the expertise of members’ organisations can help to shape and influence development of specialist policies, to contribute to the establishment of Equalities South West (ESW) through work on the steering committee, working groups, and the regional equalities network’s project, to contribute to reference groups, committees and partnerships where they can usefully bring specialised knowledge and expertise to an understanding of gender relationships/issues.
For further information visit their website on www.fairplaysw.org.uk or you can email them on info@fairplaysw.org.uk
End Violence Against Women (EVAW)
End Violence Against Women believe we can and must create a world free from the threat and reality of violence against women. To read more please visit their website: http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/home.asp
Women's Action Network Dorset (WAND)
WAND is open to any women aged 16+ living or working anywhere in Dorset. To read further about this organisation which is still in its formative stages please see: http://wandwomen.org.uk/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
Women's National Commission
The WNC is a national body working on women’s equality. It has an independent voice, bringing the informed voice of women to government, especially women who may not represented by mainstream organisations. Their website is: http://www.thewnc.org.uk/
LINKS TO FOLLOW FROM OUR WEEKLY E-BULLETIN
To sign up for our weekly e-bulletin please contact jinny.uppington@equalitysouthwest.org.uk for a contact form or download it here: Contact Form
Enforcing the Gender Equality Duty - A toolkit
The Gender Equality Duty (GED) which came into force in April 2007, places a legal obligation on public authorities not just to eliminate unlawful gender discrimination and harassment, but also to promote equality of opportunity between women and men. It represents the largest change in gender equality legislation in 30 years and for the first time public bodies have to be proactive in eliminating inequalities between women and men, instead of relying on individuals to take action after discrimination has occurred. A toolkit has been produced to help enforce the Duty, to read this please see: Gender Equality Duty - Toolkit
Reclaim the Night - Bristol
Afraid of the dark? We shouldn't be. Everybody has the right to use public spaces freely both in the day time and after dark without fear of being harassed or assaulted. But recent events in Bristol have shown that this just isn't the case for a lot of women. These kinds of attacks aren't unusual: violence against women is happening everywhere, all the time, and in ways that are not only physical but much more subtle and pervasive. The standard response to the problem, which asks women to stay inside when night falls, simply isn't good enough.
So what can we do? We would like to organise a Reclaim the Night march in early February 2009, and are contacting organisations and individuals across and around Bristol. We want to make some noise about the situation, using as many voices altogether as we can. The idea of the march is to speak out against the violence that women experience when out at night, to raise awareness of the situation, and get the whole community involved in uniting to end violence against women. The event is for everyone, men included, although there will be a woman only section leading the march. There are also plans for a quiet vigil in the city where people can take time to think about what's behind the event.
What happens next? We are meeting at Cafe Kino on Thurs 8th Jan, 7pm. Cafe Kino's website is available by clicking here: http://www.cafe-kino.com/. This is a chance for groups or individuals to get involved with decision making and the organisation of a Reclaim the Night action. We want to consult all interested people to ensure that this action is accessible and welcoming to all groups and communities in Bristol.
There is a lot to do and we will need willing volunteers to help with publicity, press releases, stewarding, DJing, campaigning, stickering, awareness raising, jam jar collecting... Even if you just wish to participate in the march - please come and share your ideas.
We really hope you can join us on the 8th, but if you can't and have any questions, suggestions or ideas please contact us on bristol_feminist@yahoo.co.uk. You can also participate via the facebook group which is available by clicking here: Reclaim_The_Night_Facebook, or the yahoo mailing list which is available by clicking here: Yahoo_Mailing_List and discussion forum.
