Letter: Labour wobbles over equality
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: We, the undersigned women's organisations, participated in a two-year process of consultation with the Labour Party which resulted in their document Governing for Equality.
We are surprised and concerned that what has happened so far is not in line with those proposals which envisaged the entire secretariat for women's equality being located in the Cabinet Office. Rather we are witnessing a fragmentation of responsibilities which is likely seriously to undermine the work of implementing the Beijing Global Platform for Action, CEDAW (the Convention to Eliminate all forms of Discrimination Against Women) and our own equality legislation.
Furthermore, the promise to strengthen and guarantee the independence of the Women's National Commission appears to be compromised by the proposal to move it to the Department of Social Security where the Minister for Women currently has her major portfolio. We consider this is likely both to marginalise it and affect its independence.
There are no "women's issues" but there are issues of special concern to women: they all have to do with continuing inequities and inequalities. Fragmentation of responsibility is not what is needed.
PAT ZADORA, National President, Business and Professional Women UK; ANNETTE LAWSON, Chair, Fawcett; SANDRA HARRIS, President, League of Jewish Women; ROZ FRASER, Chair, National Alliance of Women's Organisations; GRACE WEDEKIND, President, National Council of Women of GB; SUSAN KNOX, National Vice- Chair, National Federation of Women's Institutes; KANCHAN JADEJA, Director, Sia; OLIVE NEWTON, President, Soroptomist International of GB and Ireland; IRIS SHANAHAN, National Chairman, Townswomen's Guilds; LUCILLE HUGHES, Chair, Welsh Assembly of Women; LIZ BAVIDGE, Co-Chair, VALERIE EVANS, Co-Chair elect, Women's National Commission
London W9
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments