Women and Politics What do these questions want you to do??? Women and Politics What do these questions want you to do??? Describe government legislation which improved the political rights of women in the 1970s. (4) Explain why the suffragette movement became violent. (6) Explain why the Equal Opportunities commission was good for women. (6) Describe the benefits of the Acts of 1918 and (4) Explain why the Women’s Liberation Movement was important for women in the 1960s. (6) Explain why the creation of the Welsh Assembly government in 1999 was important for women in politics. (6)

Describe government legislation which improved the political rights of women in the 1970s. (4) Sex discrimination act 1975 The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (SDA) offers protection against unlawful discrimination to both men and women. It makes sex discrimination unlawful in employment, vocational training, education, the provision and sale of goods, facilities and services, the management and letting of premises and the exercise of public functions. In employment and vocational training, it is also unlawful to discriminate against someone on the grounds that a person is married or a civil partner or on the ground of gender reassignment. Sex discrimination act 1975 The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (SDA) offers protection against unlawful discrimination to both men and women. It makes sex discrimination unlawful in employment, vocational training, education, the provision and sale of goods, facilities and services, the management and letting of premises and the exercise of public functions. In employment and vocational training, it is also unlawful to discriminate against someone on the grounds that a person is married or a civil partner or on the ground of gender reassignment. Employment Protection Act, 1975 Granted women the right to maternity leave and pay. Woman had to have been with current employer for two years to qualify. They were entitled to 18 weeks pay at 90% of earnings. To qualify a woman had to return to full time employment within 29 weeks of the birth Employment Protection Act, 1975 Granted women the right to maternity leave and pay. Woman had to have been with current employer for two years to qualify. They were entitled to 18 weeks pay at 90% of earnings. To qualify a woman had to return to full time employment within 29 weeks of the birth Equal pay act 1970 The Equal Pay Act 1970 makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate between men and women in terms of their pay and conditions where they are doing the same or similar work. The Equal Pay Act was passed in 1970, when the pay gap between men and women stood at 37%. By the time the Act came into force in 1975, it had closed to 30%. Only counts when:  work that is the same or broadly similar;  work rated as equivalent under a job evaluation study;  work of equal value in terms of the demands made on them under headings such as effort, skill and decision-making. Equal pay act 1970 The Equal Pay Act 1970 makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate between men and women in terms of their pay and conditions where they are doing the same or similar work. The Equal Pay Act was passed in 1970, when the pay gap between men and women stood at 37%. By the time the Act came into force in 1975, it had closed to 30%. Only counts when:  work that is the same or broadly similar;  work rated as equivalent under a job evaluation study;  work of equal value in terms of the demands made on them under headings such as effort, skill and decision-making.

Describe the benefits of the Acts of 1918 and (4) 1918 Representation of the People Act. The 1918 Representation of the People Act gave women of property over the age of 30 the right to vote. Women who qualified to vote could now stand as MPs. 8.4 million women were now eligible to vote. The act also gave men over the age of 21 the right to vote. (19 for men who had served in the war) Educated middle-class women had gone into white-collar work after 1920 and many lived in rented property away from their parents as a sign of their independence. Therefore they were not property owners and did not qualify to vote in general elections Representation of the People Act. The 1918 Representation of the People Act gave women of property over the age of 30 the right to vote. Women who qualified to vote could now stand as MPs. 8.4 million women were now eligible to vote. The act also gave men over the age of 21 the right to vote. (19 for men who had served in the war) Educated middle-class women had gone into white-collar work after 1920 and many lived in rented property away from their parents as a sign of their independence. Therefore they were not property owners and did not qualify to vote in general elections Representation of the People Act. (Equal Suffrage Act) The Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928 widened suffrage by giving women electoral equality with men. It gave the vote to all women who paid rates to the local government on the same terms as men. This meant they had to be over 21 years old, regardless of property ownership. In 1929 Margaret Bondfield became the first woman cabinet minister when she was appointed Minister of LABOUR Representation of the People Act. (Equal Suffrage Act) The Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928 widened suffrage by giving women electoral equality with men. It gave the vote to all women who paid rates to the local government on the same terms as men. This meant they had to be over 21 years old, regardless of property ownership. In 1929 Margaret Bondfield became the first woman cabinet minister when she was appointed Minister of LABOUR.

Millicent Fawcett had become fed up with the lack of progress made by the NUWSS’s peaceful protests and believed that if meaningful change was to happen it would require a change of tactics. These violent attacks gained lots of attention in the media, which would get their struggle out to a wider audience. Used more militant tactics to scare government into giving women voting rights, such as smashing shop windows, attending high profile political meetings and interupting until they were arrested. Explain why the suffragette movement became violent. (6)

Explain why the Equal Opportunities commission was good for women. (6) Responsible for promoting equality and tackling discrimination in respect of age, sexual orientation and religion or belief, promoting good relations between groups, and providing institutional support for human rights. Not just in the work place but all aspects of life. The purpose of the EOC was to attempt to ensure that: Women’s economic potential would be realised, leading to higher productivity. Equal pay. A family-friendly economy. Equal choice in education, jobs and leisure. Proper rewards for skills in areas of work where women predominate, including the care sector. Equal power for women and men. The purpose of the EOC was to attempt to ensure that: Women’s economic potential would be realised, leading to higher productivity. Equal pay. A family-friendly economy. Equal choice in education, jobs and leisure. Proper rewards for skills in areas of work where women predominate, including the care sector. Equal power for women and men.

Explain why the Women’s Liberation Movement was important for women in the 1960s. (6) Four main goals: Equal Pay; Free contraception and abortion on demand; Twenty four hour nurseries; Equal educational opportunities. The Women’s Liberation movement was important because it made the struggle for women’s rights and the status of women into important issues world-wide since the 1960s. The Women’s Lib movement led to 1975 becoming International Women’s Year and to becoming the UN Decade for Women. The movement united women in their demands for equal pay, equal opportunities, free contraception and abortion, and an end to discrimination and intimidation. The pressure applied by this movement in the late 1960s and 1970s could be linked to legislation passed such as the Employment Protection Act, Sex Discrimination Act and Equal Opportunities Commission.

Explain why the creation of the Welsh Assembly government in 1999 was important for women in politics. (6) Created in 1999, the Welsh Assembly Government attempts to ensure equality of representation between males and females. There are more female voices at the assembly than at Westminster. Since May 2007, 47% of AMs are women. At Westminster 19.5% of MPs are women. In the first Welsh assembly, elected in 1999, 40% of the seats were held by women. In 2003, this rose to 50%. As women in Wales now have equal political opportunities rather than just equal political rights it can be used as a model from which lessons could be learned in the less equal British government.