This conference notes that it is some 120 years since the inaugural meeting in the Union of Women Match Makers was held in July 27 1988, and 90 years since women over 30 and married women were given the right to vote and that Parliamentary Qualification of Women Act allowed women to be elected as […]
Conference motions
Conference welcomes the report Moving on Up published by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) in March 2007 which found that Bangladeshi, Caribbean and Pakistani girls obtain better GCSE grades, including Maths and English than white British boys. Yet graduate Bangladeshi, Caribbean and Pakistani women seeking work are five times more likely to be unemployed than […]
Conference is saddened that incidents of domestic abuse are not decreasing and conviction rates, although increasing, in reality remain depressingly low. Eighty nine per cent of those suffering four or more incidents are women and one incident of domestic abuse is reported to the police every minute. Conference acknowledges the hard work that UNISON women […]
This conference notes that the experience, threat or fear of men’s violence affects the lives of women and girls everywhere, cutting across boundaries of wealth, race and culture. Violence against women is both a cause and consequence of continued inequality and discrimination. States continue to fail to meet a due diligent standard to prevent violence […]
Black women face obstacles in accessing power – from the grassroots to the Government. They are severely under-represented in senior and governance positions across the public, private and voluntary sectors. At the current pace of change, it will be more than the three centuries before the seats of Parliament reflect Britain’s population of ethnic minority […]
This conference resolves to support the women of Burma who are risking imprisonment, beatings and death from their government in their struggle for democratic change in their country. After the 1988 uprising, thousands of Burmese men were killed, imprisoned or forced to flee the country. Women took a stand to combat oppression and promote democracy. […]
The Cymru/Wales Region welcomes the changes to the way in which delegates are nominated to National Women’s Conference based upon the number of women members by branch. This change agreed by the NEC will hopefully allow more women to participate and encourage women activists locally, regionally and nationally. It is important that this change is […]
Standing Order 3.2 Amend first sentence to read “Each branch and regional women’s group, other national self-organised groups and the National Young Members’ Forum may submit motions, amendments to motions and amendments to Standing Orders.” Delete second sentence.
London’s square mile is one of the most economically prosperous areas in the world. But behind that success lies a hidden story of disadvantage and discrimination affecting women at all levels – a story which is replicated in cities all across the UK, both in the public and private sector. Prejudice about women’s abilities and […]
This conference notes with alarm the cases of Stuart Brown and Colin Read, two professional men who received small fines after being charged and found guilty of violence towards their partners as the judges felt that these were men of “good character” However, this happened at the same time as two teenagers from Manchester received […]
This conference notes that the NCH Scotland report, which highlights that two thirds of lone parent families in Scotland are surviving on an income of less than £15,000 per year. Conference recognizes that the majority of lone parent families are led by women, and these women experience considerable challenges to get back into the workforce. […]
Conference is concerned about the explicit imagery of naked and barely clothed young women portrayed on the internet, and in so called “Lad’s mags”. These magazines are sold, at pocket money prices, in our local newsagents, department stores and supermarkets. They are not age restricted i.e. “top shelf” material, are clearly displayed and available for […]
Conference welcomes the tremendous work that UNISON and the National Women’s Committee have undertaken in the past with regard to the ‘Breast is Best’ campaign. However, Conference is concerned regarding the lack of positive images of breastfeeding mothers in public. Mothers are also still being made to feel uncomfortable whilst feeding their babies in cafes […]
Women in UNISON have many interests and hobbies, including either watching or participating in sport. We are all aware of the advantages of exercise, but are also increasingly aware of the lack of seriousness afforded to women’s sport, especially in the media. The recent women’s football world cup was one recent example where coverage was […]
Conference believes that every woman should live free from the threat of rape. The present law on rape in Scotland is outdated and antiquated, and there are a growing number of organizations calling for the definition of rape to be reformed. At present the narrow definition of both what constitutes rape and consent allows some […]