Margaret Owen introduced the Working Group – see YouTube video below

• Women’s National Commission, a coalition of women’s organisations, was abolished by Con-Lib coalition: removed mechanism for women’s voices, now have government equality office.
• How can we hold government to what they promised in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action?
• Cuts disproportionately affecting women: Legal Aid cuts, domestic violence, cuts to EMA women in education, benefit cuts.
• Domestic violence, prostitution, trafficking
• Women’s voices in every area
• Laws are there, the problem is enforcement! How do you simplify rights to explain it to people?
• Lack of promotion of rights and gender equality among children
• Using the media and education

Solutions

• Hustings- human rights
• Positive developments in schools
• Using social media to engage with younger women
• Community campaigning and activism – connect with schools/families
• Inform Civil Society
• Community ideas: informing people (social media, updating online), financial resources, restoring activism, workshops.

Why are women in trouble?

• Neoliberal ideology
• Multinational companies controlling governments

Key themes

• Threats: cuts to services affecting women and human rights coming to a standstill
• Community campaigning and activism, financial support, restoring activism in civil society