The Government have published the results of their consultation on engaging with women.  'Strengthening Women's Voices' found that the top issue for women was equality and life/work balance.  The govt plans to increase dialogue with women through it's Engagement newsletter, a more focussed outreach programme and the development of online and digital communication.

Read 'Strenthening Women's Voices in government: : A response to the public consultation' 

Home Secretary and Minister for Equalities, Teresa May has announced new funding for women starting businesses. The fund worth £700,000 over three years will provide 5000 mentors to female entrepreneurs.

Read more 

Say No to Violence Against Women  interviewed UN Women Executive Director, Michelle Bachelet recently.   She says that despite having an historic number of laws worldwide to stop violence against women, loopholes and poor enforcement mean this does not necessarily translate into equality and justice. She also outlines the work of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women.

Read the interview  

The Fawcett Society have issued a briefing warning that the government's deficit reduction policies are a threat to gender equality.  'A Liferaft for Women's Equality' calls on the government to develop a strategy for women's employment and to comply with its legal duty to advance gender equality.  

Read 'A Life Raft for Women's Equality'  

Women's Views on News report that Facebook have finally taken down a page called 'You know she's playing hard to get when you're chasing her down an alley', which adovacated rape.  Facebook had defended this page for months in the face of a growing campaign to have it removed, despite FB's own terms of service prohibiting content that is ‘hateful, threatening,’ or contains ‘graphic or gratuitous violence’.  Read more 

This page is only one of many Facebook pages which  advocate sexual violence and the the global campaign against this content is demanding that Facebook address them.  Read more

Our roundtables continue this month with discussions on Gendering the Child Poverty Debate, Rural Women's Participation and Gender & Asylum.

November 16th - Gendering the Child Poverty Debate – Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh, EH6 8RG

November 24th - Rural Women’s Participation – Video conference from SCVO,  Fairways House, Fairways Business Park, Inverness, IV2 6AA, Dalraida House, Lochnell Street, Lochgilphead, PA31 8ST and Borders College, Nether Road, Galashiels, TD1 3HE

November 30th - Gender and Asylum – Institute for Society and Social Justice, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens, Glasgow, G4 0BA

If you would like to take part in any of the roundtables please see here for details and booking info.