- Conference
- 2009 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 23 October 2008
- Decision
- Carried
In October 2008 the Post Office released a set of commemorative stamps celebrating the contribution of women who have sought to progress women’s issues throughout history.
They include amongst others, Marie Stopes, a frontierswoman on the use and availability of birth control, Barbara Castle for her work to bring about the implementation of the Equal Pay Act and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson for her excellent groundbreaking efforts to build, staff and treat women in a hospital for women, a part of which is currently within the national head quarters of UNISON in London.
Despite earnest efforts throughout various women’s committees to raise the profile of these pioneering women nationally, very little is known about them, especially those further back in history and their struggles to overturn the injustices they faced.
This could be rectified by inclusion of their successes in to the national syllabus in education in a similar fashion to the campaign to include the history of Black culture into the national curriculum.
This motion calls upon the National Women’s Committee to:
1)Promote and publish in UNISON magazines and publicity, positive images of these and other women and list their achievements.
2)Work with Labour Link to lobby the government to include a positive recognition of the battles and sacrifices our sisters of previous generations have undertaken on our behalf.
3)Within UNISON website create a section for members to log onto to find out about these great innovators of our gender.
4)Supply copies in other formats on request to branches and Self Organised Groups, in order that the materials can be widely accessed and used for education and promotional purposes.