International Women's Day 2011

EDM number 1541 in 2010-12, proposed by Caroline Lucas on 07/03/2011.
Categorised under the topics of Equality, Gender recognition and Sex discrimination.

That this House is proud to celebrate the 100th International Women's Day; notes the plight of women across the world who are struggling to achieve equality and recalls the many brave people throughout history who have fought for women's rights; is concerned that women, who represent 65 per cent. of the public sector workforce, will suffer disproportionately as a result of government plans to cut 600,000 jobs in the public sector alone; further notes that over 80 per cent. of the jobs to be cut are currently carried out by women, predominantly at lower grades and on low pay; recognises that women are the main recipients of services and benefits which the Government also plans to cut or abolish and are those most likely to fill the care gap which will result from reductions in social care funding and services; congratulates the Public and Commercial Services Union on its campaign for International Women's Day which aims to raise awareness of the impact of the Government's economic policies on women ahead of parliamentary debates on the Budget statement; and urges the Government to ensure that the measures set out in the forthcoming Budget help rather than hinder the plight of women at a time of economic cuts, which threaten to set equality back by generations.

This motion has been signed by a total of 43 MPs.