Women's Newsletter - May 2006
Contents of this newsletter:
- Women's Group idea of the month!...Get ready for Freshers' Week!
- Final Resolutions from Women's Conference online
- NUS Women's Campaign responds to the consultation on the Code of Practice for the Public Sector Gender Duty
- Sarah Watson elected as NUS Scotland Women's Officer 2006/7
- Ruth Kelly is the new Cabinet Minister for Women
- Liberation 2006
- Sexual Health Lobby update
- I'm pro-choice and proud of it because... web page
- NUS Women's Campaign has joined the UK Campaign for Microbicides
- Pro-choice materials
- NUS Equal Pay badges
- Women and Pensions - the implications of the White Paper on Pensions
- News from external organisations and events for you to publicise to your members
(a) Elizabeth Must Stay Campaign - URGENT ACTION 2 days to go
(b) A Fawcett Call for Action - women in local government
(c) Terrence Higgins Trust Campaign for free HIV treatment for all pregnant women
1. Women's Group idea of the month!...Get ready for Freshers' Week!
Freshers' week may seem a long way off, but there is lots to do to make sure that your women's group is promoted to as many students as possible.
We have plenty of materials that you can order to use on your freshers' stalls and notice boards, including posters with a "local contact details" section for you to fill in - see the order form
Think about your first meeting during freshers' week - can you arrange for a high profile speaker from the local area to attend? Where will you hold your first meetings? If your institution has halls of residence, can you arrange a meeting there to reach out to new students.
Think about what introductory materials are being produced by your college and your union for the freshers' week - can you make sure that your women's group gets mentioned in these?
2. Final Resolutions from Women's Conference online
You can read the policy decided at NUS Women's Campaign Conference 2006 by downloading the Final Resolutions Document
Go to the heading CD15 - Resolutions following Women's Conference 2006 at the top of this page.
3. NUS Women's Campaign responds to the consultation on the Code of Practice for the Public Sector Gender Duty
The gender equality duty for public bodies will come into force in April 2007. This duty places the onus on public sector organisations to demonstrate fair treatment of women and men in the delivery of policy and services as well as in their employment.
NUS Women's Campaign has responded to the consultation (facilitated by the Equal Opportunities Commission) on the draft Code of Practice for this duty. Our response will be available to read shortly on www.officeronline.co.uk/women
NUS Women's Campaign responded in January 2006 to a consultation document on this subject, entitled 'Advancing Equality for Men and Women: government proposals to introduce a public sector duty to promote gender equality'. NUS Women's Campaign welcomed the proposed legal requirement for public sector bodies to actively promote gender equality. We called on the Government to name education bodies in the list of public sector bodies required by 'specific duties' (not just a vague 'general duty') to promote gender equality.
You can read more about the public sector gender duty at www.eoc.org.uk
To view our response to 'Advancing Equality for Men and Women: government proposals to introduce a public sector duty to promote gender equality', click here
To view the consultation document, 'Advancing Equality for Men and Women: government proposals to introduce a public sector duty to promote gender equality', go to www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/legislation/index.htm
4. Sarah Watson elected as NUS Scotland Women's Officer 2006/7
Sarah Watson (Queen Margaret University College President) has been elected as NUS Scotland Women's Officer. Sarah takes up this position (currently filled by Jenny Duncan) on 1 July 2006 and will be the Scottish representative on NUS Women's Committee.
You can find out the details of the rest of the Women's Committee if you click here
5. Ruth Kelly is the new Cabinet Minister for Women
Ruth Kelly has been appointed Cabinet Minister for Women, supported by Meg Munn as the Minister for Women and Equality.
Ruth Kelly will lead the newly-created Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). This new Department's remit is to promote community cohesion and equality, as well as having responsibility for housing, urban regeneration, planning and local government. It will have responsibility for equality policy (except policy on disability and age equality which remains in the Department for Work and Pensions) including policy on race, faith, gender and sexual orientation (these policy areas were previously split between several government departments). The Women and Equality Unit moves to DCLG from DTI (Department of Trade and Industry). DCLG will also be the sponsor department for the forthcoming Commission for Equality and Human Rights.
For more information about the Ministers for Women: www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/about/ministers.htm
6. Liberation 2006
Liberation 2006, Warwick University Students’ Union
Wednesday 19 July 2006
Open to any student or student officer interested in finding out about the NUS Liberation Campaigns:
Black Students’ Campaign
Disabled Students' Campaign
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Trans Campaign
Women’s Campaign
With guest speakers from The 1990 Trust, Stonewall, Disabilities Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission
HE delegates: £10
FE delegates: free
Closing date for registrations: 12 July 2006
For more information and a registration form : www.officeronline.co.uk/events
7. Sexual Health Lobby update
Following our successful sexual health lobby on April 19th, there has been a flurry of Parliamentary activity on sexual health subjects. Questions have been tabled on a number of the issues we raised at the lobby, including a question from Baroness Tonge asking what proportion of genito-urinary clinics offer appointments within 48 hours, and a question from Adam Holloway MP on issues relating to genito-urinary funding and the introduction of Chlamydia screening in his constituency. Questions have also been tabled in the Welsh Assembly, as Brynle Williams AM asked if there are any plans to make it obligatory for Primary Care Trusts to provide free sexual health provisions for students' unions across Wales.
NUS has been chasing up another of the key issues on the sexual health agenda by supporting an amendment to the Education and Inspections Bill which calls for Personal, Social and Health Education (PHSE) to become a foundation subject at Key Stage 4. Put forward by the NSPCC on behalf of a number of organisations, including NUS and the Terrance Higgins Trust, the amendment would mean all students aged between 14 and 16 would see PHSE on their timetable. We at NUS believe this is important as sex education programmes should not only focus on physical and biological aspects, but also aim to improve young people's knowledge about sexual health and relationships, increase their personal and social skills, and have a positive impact on their relationships.
Taken from Westminster Weekly - NUS' weekly email update on parliamentary affairs.
If you would like to sign up to Westminster Weekly, please email pressoffice@nus.org.uk with details of your name, institution and officer position.
8. I'm pro-choice and proud of it because... web page
We've had lots of emails from women students and student officers, adding their support to our Pro-choice and proud of it! campaign by telling us why they are pro-choice and proud of it.
To read a selection of the comments we have had so far, go to www.nusonline.co.uk/prochoice More comments will be posted up shortly.
9. NUS Women's Campaign has joined the UK Campaign for Microbicides
Following Women's Conference policy calling for NUS to support the UK Campaign for Microbicides and as part of our Pro-choice and proud of it! Campaign, NUS Women's Campaign has joined the UK Campaign for Microbicides.
Microbicides are substances that can substantially reduce transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) when applied either in the vagina or rectum. These substances are currently in the developmental stage and not yet on the market, but a successful microbicide could be on the market by the end of the decade. The UK Campaign for Microbicides (currently hosted by Interact Worldwide) is a coalition of British-based NGOs that support the following goals:
To raise awareness and mobilise political support for increased funding for microbicide research and development.
To create a supportive policy environment for timely development and introduction of microbicides, which ensures their global accessibility and use, alongside other prevention methods.
To ensure that as science proceeds, the public interest is protected and the rights and interests of trial participants, users and communities are fully represented and respected.
The development of successful microbicides has a particular importance for women as it would be the first way of reducing the transmission of STIs that could be controlled by individual women. The Global Campaign for Microbicides has organised a photo exhibit entitled Giving Women power Over AIDS:
'The Global Campaign for Microbicides has transformed their remarkable photo essay into a photo exhibit that describes what it means to be a woman in a world of AIDS - a world where many women have no way to protect themselves against HIV and little say about relationships, about sex, about condoms. A handful of scientists and advocates are racing to curb the loss of future generations from this epidemic. Their ambition is to give women a way to protect themselves. Their pursuit, a microbicide, could offer this hope.' From www.global-campaign.org/exhibit.htm
To find out more about the UK Campaign for Microbicides: www.interactworldwide.org/microbicides.asp
To find out more about the Global Campaign for Microbicides: www.global-campaign.org
10. Pro-choice materials
Our pro-choice key rings have been very popular and we have very few key rings left!
The key rings were produced as part of our Pro-choice and proud of it! campaign, with the slogan:
MY BODY, MY CHOICE
NUS Women's Campaign is pro-choice and proud of it!
If you wish to order key rings for women in your union, you can email women@nus.org.uk with the number of key rings you require, your name, union position, union's name, and address. There are only 20 English key rings left, and 200 bilingual (Welsh and English - for Welsh colleges only) key rings left!
You can also order pro-choice posters, postcards and stickers using the order form here
All materials are free of charge.
11. NUS Equal Pay badges
Our equal pay badges, part of our Just the Job? Campaign, depict a coin with an 18% chunk missing (representing the current gender pay gap) and asks if this is really "equal pay for equal work?" The badges are available in English and in Welsh. You can order badges by emailing women@nus.org.uk with the number of badges you require, your name, union position, union's name, and address.
These badges are free, but there are not many left! So, the maximum order is 30 badges per union.
12. Women and Pensions - the implications of the White Paper on Pensions
The Fawcett Society has welcomed the Government's White Paper on pensions as a step in the right direction to address the problem of female pensioner poverty. This is an issue that the Fawcett Society, in partnership with Age Concern, has been campaigning on for a long time. The White Paper proposes to substantially reduce the number of years in which a person must make National Insurance contributions to be entitled to a full basic State pension - this is particularly beneficial for women who are more likely to take career breaks to look after children and for other caring responsibilities. At present, only 17% of women have a full basic state pension on the basis of their own contributions, compared to 78% of men. And as a result, 1 in 5 single female pensioners live below the poverty line.
Fawcett's Campaign on women and pensions says that:
The reason for this scandal is that the pensions system is based on an outdated model in which it was assumed women would rely on their husband's income in retirement. Because the state pension is based on contributions made via a pay packet, those who stay at home to care for family - mostly women - lose out.
From www.fawcettsociety.org.uk
The plans to reduce the number of years in which a person must make National Insurance contributions has particular importance also for postgraduate students and students on long courses. These students miss years of paying National Insurance contributions whilst in full-time education and so currently jeopardise their entitlement to a full basic State pension.
NUS welcomes the changes too, but we are concerned that whilst one part of the Government has recognised that there is a problem in regard to pensions and younger workers saving for them, another is making the problem far worse by massively increasing the graduate debt of younger workers (and indeed mature students) and therefore discouraging them from saving for pensions as a result.
To view the White Paper on pensions: www.dwp.gov.uk/pensionsreform/
For more information on Fawcett Society's campaign on women and pensions: www.fawcettsociety.org.uk
To read Age Concern's response to the White Paper: www.ageconcern.org.uk
13. News from external organisations and events for you to publicise to your members
Please note that whilst NUS Women's Campaign has been careful to check the suitability of these organisations as contact points for student officers, it cannot be held responsible for the work or advice of any external organisation or group
(a) Elizabeth Must Stay Campaign - URGENT ACTION 2 days to go
Go to www.elizabethmuststay.c.uk for information on the campaign against the deportation of Elizabeth, a Ugandan lesbian who is a rape and torture survivor.
Elizabeth is being held at Yarl's Wood Detention Centre and is danger of being removed to Uganda on Friday 2 June.
The web site contains an online petition and gives information on actions concerned individuals can take to help the campaign.
(b) A Fawcett call for Action - women in local government
We're asking Fawcett supporters to help us to encourage local politicians to increase the number of women in power in local government.
In the UK as a whole around 30% of councillors are women and, it is estimated that less than 2% of councillors are ethnic minority women.
In May there were local council elections in most part of England, which makes now an excellent time to contact new local councillors in these areas and challenge them on this issue.
But even if you don't live in an area where local elections took place, we'd still like you to support us and do this.
For information on what action you can take, including template letters to local councillors, go to www.fawcettsociety.org.uk
(c) Terrence Higgins Trust Campaign for free HIV treatment for all pregnant women
Did you know that there are drugs that can greatly reduce the risk of a pregnant woman with HIV passing the virus on to her child? Did you also know that currently not all women living in the UK are entitled to this treatment free of charge?
In 2005 approximately one in every 548 women giving birth was HIV positive, rising to one in every 224 in London. We’re asking the Department of Health to ensure all women get free treatment, and to help them maintain their health and survive to look after their child, regardless of their immigration status. We believe that every pregnant woman in the UK should be entitled to treatment on humanitarian grounds and on the basis that the cost of treating a mother during pregnancy is vastly outweighed by the cost of a lifetime of HIV medication for her child.
Go to www.advocacyonline.net to help call on the government to reinstate free HIV treatment for all pregnant women in the UK.
Return to this campaign's homepage or view all articles in this campaign.