In spring 2006 the FWN hosted a series of events on the theme of Women and Work in the House of Commons. At the first, titled ‘“Mind the Gap” – Gender Inequalities and the Women and Work Commission’, the Network heard from Margaret Prosser (Chair of the Women and Work Commission), the Right Hon. Harriet Harman (Solicitor General), Meg Munn MP (Minister for Women) and Rachel Pillai (IPPR) on the causes of, and potential solutions for, the gender pay gap. Issues discussed included the need for institutional pay audits, careers advice that encourages girls to take subjects and follow careers that are lower paid, and the need to look at the influence of race in the pay inequality.
The second Women and Work seminar “What works? Changing workplace practice?” hosted Trevor Phillips, then Chair of the Equalities Review and the Commission for Racial Equality, Beverley Hughes MP, Minister for Children and Families, and Penny Barber, from Brook in Birmingham. This session examined the ways in which workplace practice and flexible working can be effective in reducing gender inequality in employment, the role of training and careers information in encouraging women back into the workplace and into better paid jobs.
The final event “Who cares? Valuing carers and caring responsibilities” was held in conjunction with IPPR and featured Christine McCafferty MP, Duncan Fisher from Fathers Direct, Barbara Keeley MP, Imelda Redmond (CEO Carers UK) and was chaired by journalist Mary Riddell. The experience of providing care was examined, and the need for support in caring highlighted – including improved pension rights, improved educational support for young carers and drop in centres. The need to support fathers in providing family care was also discussed, as well as the importance of flexible working and policies designed to help carers combine paid employment with care.
