Women's equality
Despite dramatic progress in recent generations, many women today still face inequalities, and have different experiences and expectations compared with men.
Latest on this topic
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Lynne Featherstone speaks at GirlGuiding UK research roundtable
Launch of Girls' Attitudes Survey 2011
Published 23 November 2011 -
Home Secretary gives speech on women and the economy
Theresa May unveils plans that put women at the heart of economic growth.
Published 4 November 2011 -
Read the response to the public consultation 'Strengthening Women's Voices in Government'
The consultation sought views on how the government engages with and listens to women.
Published 4 November 2011 -
Read the latest women's engagement newsletter
Cross-government information and news for October-November 2011.
Published 13 October 2011 -
Sign up to Think, Act, Report
Support voluntary gender equality reporting and show your commitment to fairness for women at work.
Published 14 September 2011 -
Minister backs jobs for the girls
The equalities minister is supporting a campaign to inspire more females to join the electrical industry.
Published 10 June 2011
Facts and figures
- the gender pay gap for full-time men and women is 10.2 per cent and the gap comparing all men and women is 19.8 per cent (source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2010)
- women are under-represented on company boards in the UK: in 2010 12.5 per cent of directors of FTSE 100 companies and only 7.8 per cent of directors of FTSE 250 companies were women (source Female FTSE Report 2010, Cranfield School of Management, December 2010)
- we have a record number of female MPs, yet women still only account for one in five Members of Parliament (source Inter Parliamentary website)
- in 2009-10 women were the victims of 73 per cent of domestic violence incidents (2009 - 2010 British Crime Survey data)
More about women's representation in government, in public life, and on company boards.
Creating gender equality
The government is committed to breaking down these remaining barriers to gender equality. To do this we need to move beyond more bureaucracy and legislation, to promoting equality through transparency and behaviour change.
The government will act as a catalyst and advocate for change, working with businesses, the voluntary sector and wider civil society to create equal opportunities.
See also
Internet links
(Links will open in a new window)
- Women's safety on the Directgov website
- Ministers meet Michelle Bachelet - images on Flickr
- United Nations Women
- United Nations CEDAW
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