What will I learn? Describe what has been done by government to reduce gender inequality in society. 1

Success Criteria I can… Describe what has been done by government to reduce gender inequality in society by taking notes on various pieces of legislation passed by the UK Government.

However, does it go far enough and has it worked? Government responses to Gender inequalities (wealth) A significant amount of legislation and several initiatives have been introduced in order to address gender inequalities over the past forty years. Work and Families Act 2006 Equality Act 2010 Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) However, does it go far enough and has it worked?

Work and Families Act 2006 Entitles women to Statutory Maternity Pay for 39 weeks. Six weeks at 90% of salary Remaining 33 weeks £140.98 or 90% of their AWE (whichever is lower) Allows some women (job dependent) to take a further 26 weeks maternity leave unpaid. Many employers provide women with different levels of pay during maternity leave however this new minimum standard is a first for the UK in terms of covering all females in all sectors of work.

Work and Families Act 2006 Also entitled men to two weeks of ordinary statutory paternity pay at £138.18 or 90% of his salary – whichever is lower. Work and Families Act also introduced the right to request flexible working hours in order to care for children under 6 and disbaled children under 18 through arrangements such as flexi-time, compressed hours (same working hours over fewer days), job-sharing and home-working.

The Gender Equality Act 2010 A new Equality Act came into force on 1 October 2010. The Equality Act brings together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act. Combined, they make up a new Act that provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all. The Act simplifies, strengthens and harmonises the current legislation to provide Britain with a new discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.

The Gender Equality Act 2010 The nine main pieces of legislation that have merged are: The Equal Pay Act 1970 The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 The Race Relations Act 1976 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 The Equality Act 2006, Part 2 The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007

The Gender Equality Act 2010 The main features of the Equality Act Discrimination against those with "protected characteristics" is illegal. There are nine protective characteristics in total: There are nine characteristics protected under the Equality Act 2010. They are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. There are also a variety of ways in which discrimination is defined such as direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

The Gender Equality Act 2010 The main features of the Equality Act It can be: Direct discrimination - where someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination - this can occur when you have a rule or policy that applies to everyone but disadvantages a person with a particular protected characteristic Harassment - this is behaviour that is deemed offensive by the recipient. Employees can now complain of the behaviour they find offensive even if it is not directed at them Victimisation - this occurs when someone is treated badly because they have made or supported a complaint or grievance under this legislation.

The Gender Equality Act 2010 The main features of the Equality Act Employers will be able to take "positive action" to recruit groups who are under-represented in their workforce, where they have a choice between two candidates who are equally suitable. The EHRC publishes guidance on the range of actions employers will be able to take. This is perhaps the most controversial aspect of the Equality Act as essential it allows for positive discrimination to occur in the UK. Job adverts can be aimed at a particular group – for example women. This does not mean companies can set quotas, but it will be legal to select someone on the basis of gender or race (assuming they are qualified for the post in every other respect). Local councils can use their buying power to influence companies who work for them to include equality in how they work. Currently, local councils in the UK spend roughly £220 billion each year on external contractors.

The Gender Equality Act 2010 Example – the Act has been used by women’s rights groups such as Maternity Action to challenge discrimination of women who breastfeed in public (http://www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/breastfeedingpublicplace.pdf ) The Act says that it is sex discrimination to treat a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding. It applies to anyone providing services, benefits, facilities and premises to the public, public bodies, further and higher education bodies and association. Service providers include most organisations that deal directly with the public. Service providers must not discriminate, harass or victimise a woman because she is breastfeeding. Discrimination includes refusing to provide a service, providing a lower standard of service or providing a service on different terms. Therefore, a cafe owner cannot ask you to stop breastfeeding or refuse to serve you.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) The job of Equality and Human Rights Commission (est. 2006) is to challenge discrimination, promote human rights and to create a fairer Britain. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Note - Equality and Human Rights Commission was formed with the merger of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) and Disability Rights Commission. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/25985527 - female boxer reports discrimination to EHRC

Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) The EHRC has a “statutory remit to promote and monitor human rights; and to protect, enforce and promote equality..” One of the most important roles of the EHRC is to monitor and report on pay divisions between genders in unrepresentative public bodies. An EHRC report of 2010 “How Fair is Britain?” highlighted the mass inequalities that existed in public bodies and suggested ways in which they may be tackled.

The Gender Equality Duty 2006 The Gender Equality Duty (GED) requires gender to be considered by all public bodies (gov. depts., colleges, universities, schools, NHS Trusts and Boards, councils, police and fire authorities, publicly funded museums etc.) when deciding policy. The promotion of equal opportunities between women and men requires public authorities to recognise that the two groups are not starting from an equal footing and identical treatment will not always be appropriate. EXAMPLE - A significant victory was won for the women's sector in December 2007 when Rape Crisis UK (a pressure group) used the Gender Equality Duty to persuade a local authority to close a local lap-dancing club. If a public body is not complying with the Duty then they can be reported to the EHRC.

Activity Copy and the table below: Policy What is it? Impact? Equal Pay Act (1970) Law making it illegal to pay women less than men for doing the same job. Significant improvement from pre-1970 but still a 10% gender pay gap in 2014. Sex Discrimination Act (1975) Law making it illegal to treat women differently from men in any way (particularly in relation to employment) More women in top managerial positions and politics than ever before, however still a gap as shown by Sex and Power Report 2011 Equality and Human Rights Commission (2006) Body set up to tackle discrimination and promote human rights (ensures laws are enforced) Positive that a body has been set-up to ensure that legislation is adhered to…but gender discrimination and inequalities still exist. Gender Equality Duty (2006) Set of standards which ensure that all public bodies take gender into account when creating policy. Ensures that local authorities promote equality in relation to gender and that people can report breaches to EHRC. Equality Act (2010) Law merging various other laws meaning that discrimination of any kind (e.g. direct or indirect) is illegal (based on gender or any other factor). Sex discrimination cases in 2014 the highest for 4 years (according to GQ Employment Law) – perhaps because of increase in discrimination or because of increase in reporting issues?

Activity Summarise the main features of the Equality Act 2010 In what ways does the Work and Families Act 2006 reduce the gender gap? Does positive discrimination ultimately help or harm the push for gender equality?

Have the policies worked? British Social Attitudes Survey (2013)

Success Criteria I can… Judge and analyse the extent to which UK Government policies have been successful in reducing gender inequalities by demonstrating evidence to show progress/ lack of progress.

Evidence to support view that gender inequalities have been reduced 1. Record-breaking numbers of women are now in work – the employment rate of 70.0% is the highest since records began and over 14 million women are in employment, according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics (December 2016). 2. Women now account for the majority of workers in several fields. Most journalists are women. Most authors are women. Most teachers, lab technicians, therapists, editors, librarians, public relations officers and insurance underwriters are women. In fact, it is arguable that women now hold a greater proportion of Britain's professional jobs than their representation in the workforce would lead one to expect.

Evidence to support view that gender inequalities have been reduced A degree of progress on women’s position and status in the UK labour market has been made in recent years for example the gender pay gap has been gradually narrowing and the numbers of women on boards is improving. There are many successful women in UK society including Elish Angiolini, the 1st female Lord Advocate, Scotland’s top law officer until 2011; Michelle Mone, Co-owner MJM International and Karren Brady, Vice Chairman of West Ham FC and business woman.

Evidence to oppose view that gender inequalities have been reduced Almost twice as many women are economically inactive as men – that is, not seeking paid employment – than men: 29% of women, as opposed to 16% of men. This is in large part due to the far greater numbers of women whose primary occupation is the unpaid labour of caring for children in the home. Although nearly as many women work as men, around half of women are in part-time employment compared to only one in six men. Three-times as many women are in part-time work than men: 25% of women work part-time in comparison to 8% of men. This is largely due to women’s greater caring responsibilities and the need to undertake part-time work to balance paid work with care for children and elderly relatives.

Evidence to oppose view that gender inequalities have been reduced More women are low paid than men across the board. In 2010, around 17% of men in work were low paid, compared with 28% of women workers, with those women who work part-time the most likely to be in low paid employment. Overall, women constitute almost two-thirds (62%) of those on low pay. The ‘Sex and Power Report’ claimed a ‘glass ceiling’ exists with 5,600 less women in top jobs than there should be.

http://www. telegraph. co http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11191348/Gender-equality-will-happen-but-not-until-2095.html - Global gender equality achievable…but not until 2095. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11450109 - actual impact of Equality Act http://www.bsa.natcen.ac.uk/media/38457/bsa30_gender_roles_final.pdf - British Social Attitudes Survey on household responsibilities 2013

To what extent have government policies reduced inequalities for a group you have studied? (20) Plan the essay above – be sure to mention the group you are focusing on in the intro. Best approach would be to do a paragraph per law or initiative Within each paragraph discuss the successes and failures of the law/initiative Mini-conclusions should give an overall judgement about the overall impact of each act etc.

To what extent have government policies reduced inequalities for a group you have studied? (20) The Work and Families Act (2006) created, for the first time, statutory laws in regards to pay and conditions for working parents, with a particular focus on maternity rights. For example, the legislation created Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) – a minimum level of pay mothers must receive during maternity leave – which is currently set at £140.98 per week for the majority of leave taken. (2K) The Work and Families Act has been praised for ensuring that all working parents – including those who adopt – are recognised in law as requiring an appropriate level of pay during leave. Also, the law has enabled parents to request flexible working hours which has again been praised for attempting to relieve the pressure on working mothers (and to an extent fathers) when childcare commitments are concerned. (A) However, critics have claimed that the Act does not go far enough in ensuring that mothers are recognised as the primary care-givers of children and families beyond maternity leave – women on average spend 13 hours per week on household responsibilities compared to 8 hours for men even when both are in full-time work. (K) Despite the fact that the majority of caring responsibilities are still carried out by women in the UK today, a females earnings will be reduced by roughly 5% for each year she is absent from the workplace, highlighting that gender inequality still exists in regards to work-life balance (A) As such, it can be said that the Work and Families Act 2006 has to a great extent reduced gender inequality in the UK as it is clear that basic maternity conditions and pay are now far more accessible for all women despite issues still existing within the work-place itself. (E)

I can… Judge and analyse the extent to which UK Government policies have been successful in reducing gender inequalities by demonstrating evidence to show progress/ lack of progress. 26