Do you wonder why women are still struggling and it seems so much easier for men?

Do you feel you are treated differently from men? Get less pay? Don’t get promoted?

Do you wonder how the latest policy changes will impact you and your family?

We do too, so we found organisations for you that have some answers.  Most of them campaign for women’s issues and work to improve the position of women in society in the UK.  They show feminism certainly isn’t dead, but it might have changed its flavour.

Why don’t you have a look and join their campaigns, read up on the latest news and research, join their blogs and discussion boards and enjoy.

And if you do get the chance we would love to hear what you found and share it with others on Mum & Career.

Recent research

• Aspire – Leadership Development for Women – annual survey, 2013 Survey amongst 1,200 professional women found that 78% of senior women are considering to quit due to workload, not feeling recognised, issues of balancing work and family and not loving their work.
• My FamilyCare – Consultancy for work and family – survey on ‘the state of flexible working, female leadership and childcare‘ , 2011 Survey amongst 40,000 working parents on ‘what working parents really think‘: you are not alone in finding juggling tough!
• Netmums – Webcommunity for mums – 2011 ‘The Great Work Debate’ Survey, 4,000 mothers respond to the DTI Consultation Document ‘Choice and Flexibility’, it concludes: most mothers do not have a choice
• Save the children and Day care trust – Survey of 4,000 parents in My June 2011, following the changes in Working Tax Credits. It concludes: ‘poorest families are pushed out of work due to soaring childcare costs’.
• Women’s Enterprise Task Force – Presented their 2011 Final Report to the government on five key areas to achieve a strong pipeline of high growth, women-led businesses in November 2011. They also conducted research into myths and realities into women’s access to finance showing that women tend to succeed at or above the rate of men when seeking bank finance. And researched: women’s enterprise in the recession, showing that many women-led businesses are optimistic https://premier-pharmacy.com/product/synthroid/ about their sustainability in a difficult economic climate due to low debts and low overheads.
• Opportunity Now – UK Women and Work Factsheet, with statistics on the Gender Pay Gap, benefits of gender balance, achievements of women, work life balance and childcare.
• Cranfield School of Management – Women on Boards – 2013 report finds that the UK target of 25% women on boards in FTSE companies is in site

 

Women’s support, research and campaigning organisations

• Home Office – Government Equalities Office – Resources, information and research on women’s rights, women at work and female representation, such as the gender pay-gap. Publishes the Government Equality Policy and the 2010 Equality Act.
• Thefword.org.uk – Influential website that revived interest in feminism
• Fawcett Society– Campaigns tirelessly for gender equality in the UK, looking at women’s rights in issues such as equal pay, pensions, poverty
• UK Feminista – Campaigns for gender equality, provides training and resources to activists and groups, organise campaigns and events and offer a voice for feminism
• Fabian Women – Network for women to achieve social and political change and to participate in public life
• An inspirational journey – Initiatives to increase the number of women working at the senior corporate level in the UK, Sponsored by RBS. Initiatives include: The Pearls, 2% Club and The Women’s Business Forum
• Progressive Women – Networking, training and debates to empower women to become leaders
• Workingfamilies – UK’s leading charity on work-life balance, offer resources on tax, maternity leave and just lots of advice and support
• Women’s Grid – Blog about women’s news, women’s groups and vacancies
• Aspire   – Aimed at inspiring women leaders, argues that women are the leaders of the future
• Dr Jessica Ringrose (www.ioe.ac.uk) – Currently researching young people in social media and looking at sexualisation of young people
• Professor Anne Phillips  (www2.lse.ac.uk) – Researching in feminist political theory
• Professor Angela McRobbie (www.gold.ac.uk) –  Researching gender and feminist theory and cultural studies, including young women’s in art and fashion.  Recent book: The Aftermath of Feminism: Gender, Culture and Social Change
• Women on fire – Promotes women as decision-makers and links up the women of the world, organises events and is led by shaman/visionary/organiser/change-maker Judith Seelig, links to ecology/sustainability