A briefing paper said that ethnic minority women were relatively well educated, but were not doing as well financially as their white colleagues.
Source: Sue Botcherby and Karen Hurrell, Ethnic Minority Women and Men, Equal Opportunities Commission (0161 833 9244)
Links: Briefing (pdf) | Tables | EOC press release
Date: 2004-Dec
A report contained an evaluation of a 2002 programme to increase the number of women in public appointments, and of research examining the barriers faced by women to holding public appointments.
Source: Get a Public Life: Evaluation of the 2002 National Outreach Campaign, Women and Equality Unit/Department of Trade and Industry (0845 001 0029)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
A report contained a survey of the theological issues the Church of England needed to consider as it decided whether or not to ordain women bishops.
Source: House of Bishops Working Party on Women in the Episcopate, Women Bishops in the Church of England? ('Rochester Report'), Church of England, available from Church House Publishing (020 7898 1451)
Links: Report (pdf) | C of E press release | Church Society press release (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Nov
The Northern Ireland Executive began consultation on a cross-departmental strategic framework for the promotion of gender equality.
Source: Gender Matters: Towards a cross-departmental strategic framework to promote gender equality for women and men 2005-2015, Gender Equality Unit/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 3422)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Oct
The government announced the outcome of a review of human rights treaties. It said that, as a result of the review, the United Kingdom accepted (for the first time) an individual petition mechanism under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). This would allow people to take complaints about discrimination against women directly to the UN body that monitored the treaty.
Source: International Human Rights Instruments: The UK's position, Department for Constitutional Affairs (020 7210 8500) and other departments | Press release 22 July 2004, Department for Constitutional Affairs
Links: Report (pdf links) | DCA press release
Date: 2004-Jul
An updated report provided analyses of the weekly individual income of men and women in Great Britain by family type, source of income, age, marital status, country/region and employment status, for the period 1996-97 to 2002-03. The data provided a means of comparing the income received by women with that received by men, either directly or in their own right.
Source: Individual Income 1996/97 to 2002/03, Women and Equality Unit/Department of Trade and Industry (0845 001 0029)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | DTI press release
Date: 2004-Jun
A factsheet compared income levels across broad ethnic groups, using information combined from three years of the 'Individual Incomes Series' (part of the Family Resources Survey), from 1999-2000 to 2001-02. It looked at the level of weekly income that men and women had in their own right, including earnings, occupational pensions, investments, tax credits, and benefits.
Source: Individual Incomes of Men and Women by Ethnicity, Women and Equality Unit/Department of Trade and Industry (0845 001 0029)
Links: Factsheet (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jun
A private member's Bill, designed to outlaw sex discrimination by, clubs and other private associations, was given a second reading.
Source: David Wright MP, Sex Discrimination (Clubs and Other Private Associations) Bill, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 14 May 2004, columns 612-628, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Hansard
Date: 2004-May
A White Paper set out in detail the government's proposals for a Commission for Equality and Human Rights, including its role, duties and powers. It also proposed a new law obliging public bodies to promote equality and eliminate discrimination between women and men.
Source: Fairness For All: A new Commission for Equality and Human Rights, Cm 6185, Department of Trade and Industry (and other departments), TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 12 May 2004, columns 20-23WS, TSO
Links: White Paper (pdf) | Hansard | DRC press release | EOC press release | Fawcett Society press release (pdf) | Stonewall press release | PCS press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-May
A paper reviewed the levels of gender imbalance across policy areas in Northern Ireland, with a view to assessing the potential and utility of selected key indicators to monitor progress in the promotion of gender equality.
Source: Esther Breitenbach and Yvonne Galligan, Gender Equality Indicators for Northern Ireland: Discussion document, Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-May
A think-tank report said that 'new girls networks were challenging the traditional power of some of the most established old boy networks such as the senior civil service.
Source: Helen McCarthy, Girlfriends in High Places: How women s networks are changing the workplace, Demos, available from Central Books (020 8986 5488)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary | Demos press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Apr
A report said that women were failed by a criminal justice system that had been designed principally by men, and remained principally for men. It said that women victims, offenders and workers all received rough justice from a man-made system. An associated report said there was a 'glass ceiling' in operation right across the criminal justice system, excluding women from top jobs.
Source: Holly Dustin (ed.), Commission on Women and the Criminal Justice System: Final report, Fawcett Society (020 7253 2598) | Commission on Women and the Criminal Justice System: Interim report on women working in the criminal justice system, Fawcett Society
Links: Final report summary (pdf) | Interim report (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Mar
An official taskforce report said that gender inequality remained a widespread and persistent feature of contemporary Scottish society. It set out recommendations in a number of key areas such as employment and pay; childcare and other forms of caring; poverty and exclusion; violence; and influence and decision-making. It also suggested ways in which political institutions such as the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive could improve the way in which they dealt with women s issues.
Source: Strategic Group on Women, Improving the Position of Women in Scotland: Agenda for action, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Report | SE press release
Date: 2004-Mar