‘Women, the crisis and politics’ at the Fabian New Year Conference
The Fabian Society kicked off this year discussing at the New Year Conference how Labour should respond to the economic crisis, presenting alternatives to the current government agenda.
The Fabian Women’s Network held an event ‘Women, the crisis and politics’ to explore whether, and how, an economic alternative can be rooted in greater women’s participation in the workforce, in boardrooms and in politics at all levels.
Seema Malhotra MP and Director of FWN, Polly Toynbee (Guardian), Vera Baird (barrister and former MP) and David Coats (Smith Institute) discussed with the public what Labour’s priorities should be. The event was chaired by Ivana Bartoletti, Editor of Fabiana. [http://www.fabianwomen.co.uk/2012/01/fabiana-magazine-puts-feminism-at-heart-of-welfare-state-reform-and-economic-growth]
Statistics show how women are bearing the brunt of the recession and of the government’s austerity agenda, being pushed out of the workforce and their income being driven down. FWN believes a truly reformist agenda needs to have women at its very heart.
The discussion was lively and attendees all shared the belief that it is time for Labour to establish a new deal with women and, by doing so, to gain their trust. The issues that were raised by the panel included childcare, representation in Parliament and gender stereotypes, following the successful Hamleys campaign
[http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2011/12/hamleys_campaign]
led by Laura Nelson of the FWN, which resulted in the toyshop ditching its gender-specific signs.
The event also celebrated the launch of the second issue of Fabiana magazine.
[http://www.fabianwomen.co.uk/2012/01/fabiana-magazine-puts-feminism-at-heart-of-welfare-state-reform-and-economic-growth]
FWN will continue discussing how to create gender justice in tough times.
