- Conference
- 2003 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 24 October 2002
- Decision
- Carried
Conference congratulates UNISON on its excellent Lifelong Learning Programme, which is encouraging an increasing number of members to return to learning.
However, Conference believes that further positive measures should be implemented to ensure the increased participation of women in education and training as a precondition for increased empowerment and gender equality.
Conference remains extremely concerned at continued gender inequality at home, at school, in the community and in the workplace. The UK continues to have a large, unadjusted gender wage gap, and women’s participation rates in paid employment remain below those found in other developed countries.
Conference believes that the increased promotion of lifelong learning for our women members will enable women to increasingly participate in activities in all areas of society in an equal manner as men.
Conference calls on UNISON’s Lifelong Learning Programme to further promote the benefits and stimulate the interest of women members in Lifelong Learning, and to provide increased learning opportunities and materials specifically targeted at women members.
Conference calls on all branches to establish Lifelong Learning representatives as an integral feature of branch development and key members of Branch Committees.
Conference further calls on UNISON to continue to exert pressure on Government to urgently advance legislation on paid time off for Workplace Lifelong Learning Representatives.
Conference believes that such a programme is essential to build a society of lifelong learning where women are able to take advantage freely of learning opportunities whenever they want at any point in their lives.