Lesson Starter

What does this picture say about the state of the media and politics in Britain?

What will I learn? To describe some of the changes in society affecting women in recent years. To explain the importance of women today to the UK economy.

Success Criteria I can… Describe some of the changes in society affecting women in recent years by taking notes and answering questions. Explain the importance of women today to the UK economy by taking notes and answering questions.

Gender Inequalities - Women in UK Society Today Women’s position in society has changed greatly in the last 30 years. Women are: Less likely to marry or marry later. Less likely to have children. More likely get divorced / be a lone parent.

Divorce The main provocation for divorce is infidelity, with more than a quarter (27%) saying the tipping point in the marriage was discovering their partner was having an affair. The second most common reason for ending a marriage was falling out of love - cited by nearly a quarter (22%) of those polled. One in six women (15.9%) and 6% of men gave a serious incident of abuse as the reason for a marriage breaking down.

Women in UK Society Today Fewer people live in the traditional family of a married couple with dependent children. Many people are living on their own; around one in ten adults and around 30% of households are made up of one person.

Women in UK Society Today Some women do not have children either by choice or because they are not able to have them. Many women are waiting until they are older to have a baby as they want to establish careers etc. first. Most people have smaller families these days. The birth rate now averages less that two children per mother. The number of marriages has fallen in recent years.

Why has the ‘family role’ of women changed so much over time? 1. Nowadays more women are pursuing a career than in the past so don’t need to rely on a man for money. 2. The institution of marriage is not as highly regarded as it was years ago. Many more couples cohabit. Fewer women choose to marry. 3. The pressures of modern society are making it harder for couples to stay together. Divorce is more ‘acceptable’ today. The Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006 has also made divorce easier to secure. 4. More women/couples are choosing not to have children as a career/lifestyle choice. 5. Most importantly, females are outperforming men at every educational level.

Women and the Economy Women are becoming increasingly important in the economy because: Over the past 40 years there has been a rise in the percentage of women aged 16 to 64 in employment and a fall in the percentage of men. In April to June 2013 around 67% of women aged 16 to 64 were in work, an increase from 53% in For men the percentage fell to 76% in 2013 from 92% in In April to June 2013, around 13.4 million women aged 16 to 64 were in work (42% part-time) and 15.3 million men (12% part-time).

Women in UK Society Today For those who worked full-time there were differences in the average hours worked per week e.g. full-time men worked on average 44 hours per week whilst full-time women worked 40 hours per week. While there have been increases in the number of women in work, the percentage of them doing a part-time role has fluctuated between 42-45% over the past 30 years. Women's earnings are of increased importance to families. Many lone parent families are headed by women but lone parent families are more likely to live in poverty.

Women in UK Society Today The main thing to note is that despite the fact that women have undoubtedly made progress over the years, women are still not fully equal with men at work. The fact that many women now have jobs, or even careers has led to a considerable change in women's attitudes. Nowadays, most women, especially younger women, reject the stereotypes of a ‘woman's place’. However, it is also true that many working women still have to do most of the housework.

Revision Questions 1. Describe two changes in society that have affected women in recent years. Provide statistics to support your answer. 2. For what reasons are fewer women getting married/getting divorced or not having children. 3. In what ways are women becoming more important to the UK economy. Make two points.

If you want to know more about this section, go online and access the article on Gender Inequality on Modernity Scotland. inequality/520-article-3http:// inequality/520-article-3 Want to know more?

I can… Describe some of the changes in society affecting women in recent years by taking notes and answering questions. Explain the importance of women today to the UK economy by taking notes and answering questions.