THE EQUALITY BILL AND PROCUREMENT

Conference welcomes the new measures announced in the Government’s Equality Bill aimed at tackling inequality in the workplace, but believes that the proposals do not go far enough. In its response to the consultation on the bill, UNISON had raised concerns that whilst the duties may be extended across all strands, the actual requirements within […]

ETHIOPIAN WOMEN AND FISTULA

In Ethiopia seventy five per cernt of the population live, on average, two and half days walk from an all-weather road. There are few maternity medical services and as a result approx nine thousand women each year will develop an obstetric fistula (a hole in the birth canal). Fistulas can be caused by rape but […]

RAPE CRISIS

Conference applauds the National Women’s Committee for its previously undertaken work on sexual violence and the conference policy decisions to support the work of Rape Crisis. However there is much still to do. Conference believes that rape crisis centres are essential and distinctly different in their role to the government created Sexual Assault Referral Centres […]

A MILLION WOMEN RISING IN UNISON

This conference notes with increasing concern the seeming lack of increased participation and activism of women in a union that is proud to have a million plus women in membership. In order to establish where we are it is essential that we have accurate and current data; that will give us a baseline on which […]

EQUALITY MEANS = REALLY MAKING IT HAPPEN

Equality is at the very heart of UNISON, and one of the union’s stated aims is to promote equality and challenge discrimination, so Conference applauds the arrival of the UNISON equality scheme. The UNISON equality scheme has meant that every region, department and service group of UNISON now has a two year equality action plan […]

RECOGNISING THE NEED FOR BME WOMEN’S SERVICES

Conference congratulates Southall Black Sisters (SBS) for their victory in the High Court in July 2008 when they challenged Ealing Council’s interpretation of the Race Relations Amendment Act and helped secure the future of BME women’s services. SBS were forced to take their case to the High Court when Ealing Council withdrew funding from the […]

MILLION WOMEN RISE AGAIN

Conference congratulates the Million Women Rise Coalition (MWRC) on the success of the 2008 march and rally which saw over 5,000 women and girls gathered in London to protest male violence against women and endemic gender discrimination. The rally was addressed by a range of inspiring speakers from across the country, representing a broad spectrum […]

CAMPAIGN FOR A BREAST CANCER FREE FUTURE

Conference believes that all girls and women should have a future free from the fear of breast cancer. Conference supports the Government, the NHS and its staff in their continued commitment to improve breast cancer services in order to make the vision of a future free from the fear of breast cancer a reality for […]

OVARIAN CANCER

Ovarian cancer is still the fourth most common cause of death from cancer amongst women in the UK. Every year about six thousand women in the UK are diagnosed with this disease, the majority of these cases only have a few symptoms, which are treated as other illnesses until finally being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. […]