Gender Inequalities

Changes in Society

• Average age when married increased 7 years from 1971-2001 (men: 35, women: 32)

• Increasing divorce rate (1971: 296,000 divorced women; 2001: 2 million)

• Number of lone parent households increased rapidly (due to babies born outside marriage rather than divorce)

Changes In Society

• Proportion of women in the workforce grew from 29% in1900 to 46% in 2000 (increase of 5 to 13 million)

• Women make increasingly important contribution to the income of families with children

Evidence of Wealth Inequalities

• Women are more likely to be poor than men

• Women earn, on average, less than men. In 2004, men in full-time jobs had average earnings of £24,236. The average for women was 24% less at £18,531. Difference was a large 35% in London.

Evidence of Wealth Inequalities

• Elderly women are more likely to live in poverty than men. There are 3 times as many single female pensioners than there are male and more live on lower incomes. Female pensioners are more likely to rely on means-tested benefits

Evidence of Wealth Inequalities

• Even when men and women enter the same occupation with the same qualifications, there is a salary gap – 23% for medical practitioners, 21% for legal professionals and 15% for accountants

Reasons for Inequalities

• Women work in lower paid sectors of the economy

• Nearly 2/3 of women are employed in 12 occupations including the 5 ‘Cs’ – caring, cashiering, catering, cleaning and clerical occupations

Reasons for Inequalities• Discrimination or ‘Glass Ceiling effect’ – in

occupations where women are over-represented, men tend to have the higher managerial positions (82% of teachers in primary schools are women but nearly half of primary head teachers are men).

Reasons for Inequalities

• Females entering job market have higher qualifications than males but are more likely to take career breaks or work part-time

• Only one mother in ten remains in full-time continuous work following the birth of her first child

• Women have traditional role as carer (young & old members of family)

Reasons for Inequalities

• Nine out of ten lone parents are lone mothers. They are less likely to be in full-time employment, more likely to be living in poverty and less likely to have formal qualifications

• UK: 55.5% of lone parents are in work

• Sweden: 70%

• France: 82%

Solutions?

Solutions?

• Equal Pay Act 1970. Gap in earnings is 24% - some of this is attributable to men and women doing different work but evidence suggests that women are still being paid less for the same work in many areas

Solutions?

• European law extended the equal

pay act to include benefits

• Legislation passed in 2003 extended the time limits for bringing cases and for which arrears payments can be made – this has had a significant impact on the NHS. (In 2006, Scottish Local Authorities faced claims amounting to £700 million)

Solutions?

• Sex Discrimination Act 1975• Equal Opportunities Commission (Now merged

with CRE and called Human Rights Commission - Website) set up in 1976 to promote equal opportunities for men & women. 2004/05 EOC received nearly 24,000 Helpline calls concerning pregnancy & maternity, equal pay, work-life balance, recruitment and selection and sexual harassment

Solutions?

• Child Support Agency introduced in 1993 to try to reduce the cost to the government of paying benefits. CSA controversial and government currently looking at replacement system.

• Other policies include New Deal, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, National Minimum Wage, Welfare Benefits

Solutions?

• The number of women starting their own companies is on the increase. There are now 46 women for every 100 men starting their own enterprises and the gap narrows every year. Taking risks in order to work flexibly undermines any argument that women fail to secure promotions because they lack drive or ambition

Michelle Mone, Ultimo

Health Inequalities Mortality Rates

Life expectancy in the UK is women 81 men 76

Use pages 82 & 83 to explain the reasons for this

Health Inequalities Morbidity Rates

• Women suffer more ill health during their lives. For example 78% of prescriptions are issued to women

Use pages 82 & 83 to explain the reasons

for this

• Gender inequalities continue to exist in the UK. Discuss. (15)

• Assess the effectiveness of government policy in dealing with either gender or race inequalities. (15)