A report from CEDAWinLAW entitled "Women, Power and Decision Making" was delivered on 10 July 2023 to no 10 Downing Street.
'ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMISSIONER CALLS FOR JUSTICE FOR #50sWOMEN ON STEPS OF 10 DOWNING STREET'
Watch Hon Dr Jocelynne Scutt AO's barnstorming oratory on behalf of #50sWomen at 10 Downing Street accompanied by Award Winning, Veteran Lobby Correspondent, David Hencke, a stalwart supporter of 3.8m victims of proven Direct Discrimination and Maladministration out of The Judge's Report
Checkout who leaves No 10 as the speeches were delivered- none other than Secretary of State for Work & Pensions himself, Rt Hon Mel Stride MP.
David Hencke said:
"Women, even in the 21st Century, do not have a major role in decision making and are still subject to enormous amounts of discrimination". In spite of Government having ratified CEDAW in 1986, it has yet to be implemented into domestic law.
David's latest blog focuses on the importance of this report for ALL women. Read it here:
Campaign to end discrimination against women reaches Downing Street
The Hon Dr Jocelynne Scutt AO, a former anti-discrimination commissioner who presided over the two CEDAW People's Tribunals and author of both the President's Report and the Judge's Report, commented:
"Women, power and decision making: the position in the UK is lamentable"
The 51% of women in the UK are entitled to equality in decision making.
In 1995, women were denied power and the total burden of the State Pension Age transition was placed upon 1950s born women, with no notice. The government ignored women's rights and failed egregiously to inform, with a devastating impact on these women. This is direct discrimination on the grounds of both age and sex.
The aims of the report:
The report complements work on:
- CEDAW
- reports from two CEDAW People's Tribunals
- the development by the UN CEDAW committee of General Recommendation GR40 on the equal & inclusive representation of women in decision making systems
- an invitation to ADRnow Alternative Dispute Resolution settlement talks
It also builds upon a massive groundswell of support internationally for women to have an equal role in decision making.
Volker Türk UN High Commissioner for Human Rights :
“We can’t afford to wait 155 years for women to have an equal say and seat in all decision-making tables”.
1950s born women are a prime example of why it is vitally important for women to have more say in these decisions.
It provides a clear example of ongoing discrimination against a particular cohort of women (women born in the 1950s who came to adulthood at a time women’s rights were even more overlooked than today).
It illustrates keenly how overlooking women’s right to equal participation in decision-making leads to an ignoring of, and ignorance about, women’s economic rights, health and wellbeing. Worse, it shows how the failure to ensure women’s participation in decision-making can lead to a wilful failure of government to consider the impact of policy decisions and law-making on women and women’s rights generally.
To date UK women have not been present in equal numbers at the decision making tables, and too often not at all, and decisions have been made for them by men, or they have been ignored entirely, as if women's rights and circumstances arising out of being women do not exist.
"Criminal Waste"
The report also calls into question WASPI leaders' "criminal waste" of the invitation to Alternative Dispute Resolution Talks, at the expense of the majority of 50s Women who they do not represent. Why look a gift-horse in the mouth? WASPI leaders and MPs in Parliament must recognise the glaring omission in the Parliamentary Ombudsman's approach, in that he has not (as yet) addressed proven direct discrimination against this cohort of women, despite breaches in both UK and International Law.
What do 50s Women want to rely on, recommendations for compensation for partial maladministration by the PHSO that government can choose to ignore, or settlement talks that include addressing direct discrimination, backed up by both UK and International Law?
The invitation to ADR settlement talks remains on the table.
Two further letters:
Two further letters have been sent to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in the past month, which can be seen illustrated in the link below:
The first, on behalf of CEDAWinLAW, points out that there are no barriers or indeed viable excuses for the SoSW&P not to attend ADR settlement talks. It also outlines the phenomenal support the campaign has received and continues to receive.
The second, from the Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, speaks of 50s Women being "left in the lurch" by government with no proper communication or safety net, states her support for the cross-party ADR group and urges the SoSW&P to read the full Judge's report and to attend the talks.
Call To Action:
You are urged to:
- Sign and share this petition widely
- Write to your MP to demand that they join the cross-party ADRnow group and sign EDM 1040, which both call for settlement talks including representatives of the ADR group, ALL 50s Women and Dr Scutt
"#50sWomen will be silenced no more"
In her barnstorming speech outside 10 Downing Street, Dr Scutt ends by pointing out that:
"1950s born women DO have a voice, they have stamina, fortitude, and refuse to be put down and will be silenced no more"
"50s Women demand the right to be heard at the table for Alternative Dispute Resolution"