Have Your Say On Universal Credit

In 2013, Universal Credit will replace a number of existing benefits, income-based Jobseekers Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Child and Working Tax Credits and housing benefits; working-age people seeking work and those on a low wage will be entitled to it.

Rather than fortnightly payments, this benefit will be paid on a monthly basis. Ministers argue that will help claimants and their families become more independent as it will promote financial responsibility by encouraging people to manage their own funds. According to the DWP it will also reduce in-work poverty and cut back on error and fraud.

In exceptional circumstances direct payments can be made to some landlords.

Please complete the survey and let The Residential Landlords Association know what you think about the proposals for Universal Credit. The results of this survey will be used in their discussion with the government: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/universal_credit

Our Government must be held accountable: WRC speaking to UN CEDAW Committee about women’s rights in the UK

 

Our Government must be held accountable: WRC speaking to UN CEDAW Committee about women’s rights in the UK

Charlotte, Policy Officer for Women’s Resource Centre, will today join a small group of women from the UK in Geneva to address the United Nations (UN) Committee of the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). These women are addressing the problems impacted on women’s equality in the UK, detailed what our government must be held accountable for by the UN. Women from the UK will get the rare opportunity to share with the UN the key issues they face, drawing attention to the UK government and their progress on women’s rights.

On behalf of the CEDAW Working Group, Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) will deliver a presentation highlighting how women’s rights in the UK have come to a standstill and in some cases, positive policy changes are being reversed and women’s rights reduced.

The UK record on women’s rights will continue to be the focus internationally as the UK government must report to CEDAW on their progress since they were last examined by the UN Committee in 2008; this will take place in July 2013. How will the government explain the reversal of women’s right in the UK? These inequalities exist when the UK is suppose to set an example for other countries through their international work.

 “The Government must face up to their international obligations under CEDAW to protect and advance the rights of women in the UK. It is unacceptable for the UK to be reversing women’s rights and austerity cannot be an excuse - the legacy of these changes will be felt for generations so we must ensure that the UN holds them to account and they do not continue to roll back women’s rights in the UK,” says Vivienne Hayes, Chief Executive of the Women’s Resource Centre.

WRC will also be present at the UK Feminista lobby of Parliament on 24^th October.

The Party Conferences Deliver A Women's Verdict

The Spectator ‘nominate’ Jo Swinson (pictured above), minister for business and minister for equality, as the future leader of the Liberal Democrat party and the answer to its ’women’s problems’. Swinson took centre stage at the Liberal Democrat conference as she called for a “modern workplace revolution” to “unlock the potential of women across our economy, at all levels.”

MP for Cardiff Central, Jenny Willott, also addressed this topic; in an article for The Telegraph, she said the conference reminded her that Lib Dems need to work harder to improve our female representation. However, this appears easier said then done, as Willott stated the changes to the Equality Act, debated at the conference, will mean Lib Dems will now have to abandon their female quotas.

Also taking place was a fringe meeting on body image, which saw women outnumbered by men in the audience. Another event looked at the impact of austerity on women, where a disable female party member gave a speech, stating that the coalition cuts have left her living with just 50p a day.

The following week in Manchester, Ed Milliband, focused on his ’one nation’ vision at the Labour conference. However, Yvette Cooper to the women’s conference focused on how the cut have impacted on women. The party’s minister for equality said the ConDem government has “failed” women with cuts to child care, refuge closure and a rise in female unemployment. She claimed Labour would “improve women’s lives” with more flexible working hours, better child care and more support for those caring for elderly relatives.

Cooper also used the “f” word, she defined a Labour Party feminism as a party that is “welcoming and inclusive” and “listens to the varied voices and supports the different choices women make”. She continued her plight for women, when she spoke in her role as shadow home secretary, at the main party conference, demanding urgent action to tackle violence against women.

When shadow energy secretary, Caroline Flint, addressed the main conference, she called for “cleaner future” in an “energy revolution”, that would also see a “fairer…market” for tax payers.

In other news, Chancellor George Osborne called for further cuts, curbing employee rights, including a reduction in maternity leave, in exchange for company share, this prompted concern. Also Jeremy Hunt was in support of a reduction in the abortion time limit, lowering it 12 weeks.

Join UK Feminista and Lobby Parliament for Women's Rights: 24 October 2012

On the 24th October equal rights and campaign group UK Feminista will lead a mass lobby of parliament. Activists and organisations across the country will join them in the ‘fight’ for women’s rights and equality. You can join them too!

Government cuts are eroding women’s economic independence, inequalities, such as violence against women still exists, and reproductive rights are still under attack.

Lobby packs can be downloaded from UK Feminista’s website - or collected on the day - it contains the calls for action and all the facts and figures that you can use and give to your MP. From 11:00 - 13:00, there will be a rally and a training event at the Abbey Centre, 34 Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BU. Talks, short films and a short training session will be given so you will know exactly how to lobby your MP.

Then from 14:00 - 16:00, lobby your MP for women’s rights at the Houses of Parliament; where constituents will, hopefully, be met by 100s of MPs, dish out the facts and state the action needed to tackle violence against women, access to justice and women’s representation in politics.

Theresa May’s Community Remedy – Victim's Choose Offender's Punishment

Home Secretary, Theresa May, told the Daily Mail that last year 272,000 cautions were handed out for anti-social behaviour and the victims of these crimes were left feeling powerless as they were excluded from the process and received no form of reparation.

She is opting to change the law to empower the victims by allowing them to get some form of reparation.  Victims of low-level crimes, such as criminal damage, would get to choose from a “menu” of punishment options that would include a form of restorative justice. This “community remedy” could see victims receiving reparation for the damages caused, for example, replacing a smashed window; if the victim does not want something directly related to them done, they could opt for the offender to do work in the community. If the offender does not accept the punishment, they would face court proceedings. The Home Secretary hopes this will boost the introduction of police and crime commissioners, when the first elections take place on November 15^th.

The Home Secretary will also announce her own review of the Human Rights Act, stating it can be replaced by a British bill of rights and responsibilities. However, this may clash with the government’s existing commission on a bill of rights that does not wish to replace the Human Rights Act.

May will also mention her intention to opt out of areas of EU police and justice co-operation, this move has been criticised by policy leaders and Liberal Democrats. She may opt out of the European arrest warrant, which is seen by police as one of the most successful instruments in European crime-fighting. Should the UK choose to opt out, they can always opt back in a later date.

Inmates Help Jay Steinfeld Become a Better CEO

When CEO and founder of Blinds.com, Jay Steinfeld, visited Cleveland Correctional Centre in Cleveland, Texas, he never thought for a second he would end up learning from the inmates. His visit to the prison was part of the Prison Entrepreneurship Programme (PEP), set up by former Wall Street investor, Catherine Rohr; the nation’s top executives, politicians and MBA students meet with inmates to teach them skills to enable them to change their future by reconciling their past. Steinfeld’s visit was to teach the inmates about leadership and personal development. He received a warm welcome from the inmates and was surprised to find they were all ‘business savvy’, knowing and understanding the importance of competition, management, risk and profitability, their only error being that their businesses were not legitimate, hence their incarceration. The visit was a success and Steinfeld left with some food for thought. Firstly, you can transform yourself regardless of your scenery – these men were changing their lives in a dangerous place and living proof that you can walk a dark path and come out the other side a better person. Most businesses go through hard patches and the CEO was inspired by the drive these men had to not let life defeat them and it would benefit business executives to have that same determined attitude. Secondly, they taught Steinfeld the value of a positive attitude – with a positive attitude inside the prison walls, simple behaviours such as curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, allows for the creation of passion, which is needed for a better future “on the outside”, we can all learn from our past. Lastly, no matter who you are, a support system is essential – personal development and success begins with a commitment to a community. PEP educates and mentors inmates to help them reintegrate into society upon their release. These men aspire to gain knowledge and are taking active steps to leave their past behind them and build themselves a better future.

Grayling, the 'tough justice secretary', 'spices up' Clarke's community punishment reforms

A key crime and courts bill stating proposals to reform community punishment by Ken Clarke, has been dismissed by justice secretary Chris Grayling. Grayling plans to ’spice up’ the bill, revealing his new approach on Tuesday, claiming he wants to be the ‘tough justice secretary’ by imposing more punitive community sentences. He believes “more competition, more outsourcing and more payment by results” is the way forward. Probation sources write that Gray has dismissed Clarke’s proposal for community sentences as he does not want them to be an alternative to custody. The 220,000 offenders, that receive community sentences every year, could be subject to 24-hours tagging, satellite tracking and the seizing and selling of their assets and property, some of which were under consideration already. He has also postponed the legislation that is essential in setting up the new national crime agency. This move comes about as NAPO, the probation union, fight to stop the privatization of the probation, stating this would result in poorer protection of the public due to staff cuts in training and fewer staff overall. A private company already handle the supervision of low and medium risk offenders. A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said this move was to bring about innovation through competition, or is this just quality and effectiveness lost to ideology?