A report examined the experience of the United Kingdom under the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, allowing women in the United Kingdom to submit complaints directly to the United Nations if they felt that their rights had been violated. It was found that the Optional Protocol had not yet provided women in the UK with real benefits; that non-governmental organizations had not used the Optional Protocol in advancing the cause of women; and that the quality of the United Nations Committee's adjudication on admissibility of complaints 'could appear inconsistent'.
Source: Jim Murdoch, The Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): The Experience of the United Kingdom, Ministry of Justice (020 7210 8500)
Links: Report | MOJ press release | Hansard
Date: 2008-Dec
The governing body of the Church of England confirmed the Church's intention to consecrate women as bishops. A national 'code of practice' would attempt to accommodate those who opposed women's ordained ministry.
Source: General Synod: Summary of Business Conducted on Monday 7th July 2008, Church of England (020 7898 1326)
Links: Report | Ekklesia report | FT report | Times report
Date: 2008-Jul
The government published a report which charted the progress made on the priorities for women announced in 2007 – supporting families, tackling violence against women, and promoting equal representation.
Source: Women's Changing Lives: Priorities for the ministers for women – One year on progress report, Cm 7455, Government Equalities Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | GEO press release
Date: 2008-Jul
A report said that there were 'significant institutional obstacles' facing ethnic minority women seeking leadership roles in society. The personal prejudices of colleagues, and internal working cultures, limited their options for balancing family and working roles: yet ethnic minority women could bring distinct experiences, skills, and competencies to organizations that were otherwise dominated by white, middle-class men.
Source: Routes to Power: Ethnic minority women, power, participation and public life, Fawcett Society (020 7253 2598)
Links: Report | Fawcett Society press release
Date: 2008-May
A paper examined the relationships between gender equality and civil society.
Source: Sonia Reverter-Banon, Civil Society and Gender Equality: A theoretical approach, Voluntary Sector Working Paper 24, Centre for Civil Society/London School of Economics (020 7955 7205)
Links: Paper
Date: 2008-Apr