Women's Views on News |
| Posted: 23 Sep 2016 03:10 PM PDT
An array of initiatives has emerged across the development spectrum seeking to empower girls, in response to both concerns about inequitable progress and faith in the social dividends of investing in girls and women. From the Nike/DFID-funded Girl Effect, to the United Nations Foundation's Girl Up, to the G20's G(irls)20 Summit, organisations in the development community are increasingly focusing on girls as the best catalysts for social change. On the one hand, it makes sense to empower those who often bear the brunt of development problems. Yet this approach also assumes that girls have – or can be given – the power to transform their circumstances, and ignores the vast structural impediments to change, over which girls themselves have little influence. It can also create a narrow and idealised model of who 'girls' are and what they want. An event organised by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), an independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues, took a step back from the rush to invest in girls, to critically engage with questions considering whether this focus is the most effective way to address development challenges impacting girls and women. ‘Delivering change: beyond investing in girls’ was held in the ODI offices in London and streamed live. A panel of speakers presented research on a range of challenges from reducing teenage pregnancy to economic empowerment to violence prevention. Nikki van der Gaag, director of Gender Justice and Women's Rights, Oxfam GB, chaired the event, and the speakers were Lisa Denney, Sierra Leone Country Manager, Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium, Research Associate, ODI; Shenila Khoja-Moolji, postdoctoral scholar of gender and education focusing on South Asian and Muslim populations, from the University of Pennsylvania; and Dr Natko Gereš MD Programme Officer with Promundo, who work engaging men and boys to promote gender equality and end violence against women internationally, and Sinead Walsh former Irish Ambassador to Sierra Leone the discussant. To listen to the panel and the discussion, click here.  |
| Sexist pricing at supermarkets Posted: 23 Sep 2016 02:50 PM PDT
New research just published by the Fawcett Society has revealed that sexist pricing is widespread on our highstreets with the UK's biggest supermarkets – Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's and Morrisons – charging women more than men for own brand toiletries and items of clothing. These products are also often separated in stores, making it harder for consumers to compare prices. Sexist pricing hit the news earlier this year when campaigner Stevie Wise – successfully – persuaded Boots to change the prices of some of its products. This recent analysis by the Fawcett Society of a basket of Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's and Morrisons' own brand toiletries revealed that products that were gendered, for example with white and pink packaging for women or black and blue for men, were consistently more expensive. In a basket of own-brand toiletries products, for example, including triple blade disposable razors, shaving cream, spray-on antiperspirant deodorant and body spray, the gap ranged from products costing 22 per cent more in ASDA to a whopping 56 per cent more in Morrisons. A basket of own brand gendered toiletries costs 56 per cent more for women at Morrisons; 25 per cent more for women at Sainsbury's; 24 per cent more for women at Tesco; and 22 per cent more for women at Asda Women are paying on average 31 per cent more for an own brand basket of comparable toiletries. The research also revealed that overall women purchasing clothing are paying 12 per cent more for a basket of own brand clothing items in all the retailers an average of £4.33. The gender price gap on a basket of clothes was lowest at Asda where women pay 4 per cent (£1) more than men for the basket of comparable items, and the gap was highest at Sainsbury's, where women pay 22 per cent (£9.50) more. For one item – formal black trousers – researchers found that men were paying more. However, when averaged out across the basket of goods it was still women who were left out of pocket. In response the Fawcett Society is calling for each of the four supermarkets to carry out a review of their pricing practices, to investigate why products targeted at women consistently cost more and to publish the findings and for an end to sexist pricing in our supermarkets. The Fawcett Society is also calling for the development of gender neutral options. Although many retailers already offer gender neutral choices the ranges could be developed and extended. Campaigner Stevie Wise said: “This new research from the Fawcett Society provides a further evidence that women are being ripped off on our high streets. "Whether it’s toiletries, clothing or high street services, women are being routinely charged more than men for equivalent products and services, and it’s just not good enough. "We need to get to the bottom of why this is happening, and high street retailers and manufacturers need to start being more honest with consumers, and stop blaming each other for their sexist pricing practices.” And Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, said: "The top four supermarkets between them have a 70 per cent market share. "The majority of their customers will be women. Here we see them consistently charging significantly more for their own brand products which are marketed at women. "In most cases these are not minor price differences. "These are big margins. "We know that women are paid less than men, are targeted with beauty products and advertising and now we see them being charged more. "The big four have an opportunity here," Smethers pointed out. "Will they go the extra mile to demonstrate to their female customers that their pricing is fair? "We don't just want to see one or two prices reduced, we want sexist pricing practices to end." To read the full report, click here.  |
| Young women still being let down Posted: 23 Sep 2016 02:39 PM PDT
The Young Women's Trust's annual survey for 2016, ‘No Country for Young Women’, has revealed a generation of young people despairing and anxious, many of whose lives are on hold because of serious financial, work and housing problems – and young women hit hardest, and are faced with shocking discrimination. Three in 10 young women (30 per cent) said they experienced sex discrimination when working or looking for work. Seven per cent of young women said they were treated less well than others when working or looking for work because they turned down sexual advances. Forty per cent of BAME young people said they have been discriminated against when working or looking for work because of their ethnicity (compared with 5 per cent White). And 1 in 12 parents aged 18-30 reported having to use a foodbank to survive. Drawing on findings from a major poll of 4000 18-30 year-olds carried out by Populus Data Solutions, the survey also showed that low paid, insecure work is a major problem for young people. Thirty per cent of young people have been offered a zero hours contract – 32 per cent of young women, 28 per cent of young men. More than 1 in 5 young people (22 per cent) have been paid less than the minimum wage (23 per cent of young women, 20 per cent of young men). Over a quarter of young people in work (28 per cent) are worried about not having enough paid hours (30 per cent of young women, 26 per cent of young men). Almost 4 in 10 young people in work (38 per cent) are worried about their job security. It revealed that young people in work from the lowest socio-economic group DE and from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) groups are more likely than others to be worried about their job security (43 per cent DE, 44 per cent BAME) and not having enough paid hours (47 per cent DE, 39 per cent BAME). And 39 per cent of young women said it was a struggle to make their cash last to the end of the month, while 27 per cent of young women said they are in debt all of the time, and one quarter of 18-30 year-olds had to move back home with their parents because they couldn’t afford to live independently. The Young Women's Trust wants to see a minister in central government with responsibility for overall youth policy, including employment, and a commitment from the government to extend the 'National Living Wage' to under-25s. Young people said their top concerns were housing, followed by unemployment and pay/job security. These, the Trust said, must all be areas of concerted focus by the government. Tackling the discrimination that many young people are facing because of their age, gender and ethnicity must also be a priority. Young Women’s Trust aims to support and represent women aged 16-30 struggling to live on low or no pay in England and Wales and who are at risk of being trapped in poverty. This report is based on the findings from the Young Women's Trust's most comprehensive survey and does not attempt to set out detailed policy solutions, although it does shed light on what the government’s priorities should be. To read the full report, click here.  |
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