The agenda reflects some of the priorities for women in the union, key issues such as Personalisation; Pensions; Women and the Far Right; Domestic Abuse; Sexual Expoitation; and of course international solidarity to women around the World to name a few headlines.
Women remain discriminated against in society, still fighting for pay equality, and to remove barriers to promotion in the workplace. 1 in 4 women will be subjected to domestic abuse in their lifetime, and UNISON should be proud of the work it has done to raise this issue up our campaigning agenda, however clearly still more needs to be done. Policies such as personalisation bring challenges, but again will impact disproportionaly on women, who still rae the majority of care workers, and also carers.
Public sector pensions contrary to what the media like to portray remain low, and still there are large numbers of low paid women who do not have access to a pension at work, and are staring poverty in retirement. Of course the threat of the Far Right cannot be ignored. Unfortunately the Far Right have been making electoral gains over the past few years, and it is imperative that women make sure the anti women views of the BNP are made known to all women.
Many of the issues affecting women are common around the world, from exploitation to discrimination both in workplaces and communities, and that is why international solidarity between women is so important to stand up and support women wherever they are.
Women such as Aung San Suu Kyi, the elected but imprisoned leader of Burma. Ordinary women in places such as Palestine, Colombia aqnd Africa who day after day stand up to challenge exploitation and discrimination, and risk their security to change the culture of our societies.
UNISON can be proud of its international solidarity work, and it is fitting that the Women's Conference will be keeping this high up our campaigning agenda.
http://www.unison.org.uk/women/index.asp
Clare Williams
