SEXISM IN THE WORKPLACE: STILL A MAJOR ISSUE

Today I have had an article published on the Guardian website about the gender pay-gap which has stirred up a lot of controversy.

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/mary_honeyball/2008/04/its_up_to_us.html

Many commentators say that the feminist fight has been won and that sexism in the work place no longer exists but reading some of the comments I have received it is very obvious that this is not the case.

Here are some of the responses to my article, which have frankly shocked me:

"Why should employers have to pick up the tab for a woman's fertility? You want to be an executive? Fine. You want to be a mother? That's fine, too. But anyone with a functioning brain cell knows that there are major conflicts between devotion to a demanding career and diligent motherhood. "

"When women read as much as men, they'll be ready for equality."

"Women in every culture I've every visited have been bitchy and into how they look. It is obviously part of your programming the same way boys like playing soldier etc. The insistance that its all a biog conspiracy just shows how outdated you are."

"Most working-class women I know would rather serve tea to old folks or look after toddlers in a nursery while your old man goes out and earns the lion's share of the family income."

"in my experience the women who try the hardest to get to the top do pretty much anything they can to stop other women from joining them."

"it's easier to go on about these splendid bright women who just want to have babies and come back to work and are stopped by men. No, they're not. They're stopped by their own desire for status, greed and a belief in self-entitlement."

"Frankly any girl who would rather be Jacqui Smith than Coleen Mcloughlin needs to be hunted down and locked up as a danger to herself and the rest of us."

"If I were an employer, I would want to be sure that any prospective employee was going to be able to satisfy my expectations and devote the time that I'm paying them for to doing my bidding and at my convenience. So I wouldn't employ a woman of childbearing age in this day-and-age either unless I was satisfied that her fertility wasn't going to get in the way of my business."

It is perfectly obvious that this is fight that is not even close to being won.

I will be thinking hard about the comments I've received today, from all sides of the argument, and will be writing about this again in the very near future.

Letter published in Guardian today responding to article: Public gives more money to donkey sanctuary than abuse charities 23/04/08

Dear Editor,

It is a national disgrace that the UK thinks donkeys are in greater need of charity than the 1.5 million female victims of domestic abuse each year, two of whom die at the hands of their abuser each week.

Charities and support groups to help women and children escape and recover from violent abusers should be at the heart of every civilized society. To exist these services strongly rely on the public's charity.

The UK has a strong tradition of charity and the government and the individual have a responsibility to make sure this money is directed towards the most deserving cause. Sadly this is not the case; over its 39 years the donkey sanctuary has helped 12,000 donkeys. In 2006 alone they received £20m in donations. That's over £1,500 per donkey. Contrast that to the 1.5 million women abused last year and the combined income of all women's abuse charities of £17m and it's clear people need to rethink their standing orders.

Mary Honeyball MEP

Labour, women's rights committee

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/25/gender.charitablegiving

Speech on Cultural Industries in London

This month I spoke at the European Parliament about the Cultural Industries in London. Here is my speech:

THE 24 WEEK TIME LIMIT FOR ABORTION IS UNDER THREAT

The Family Planning Association (FPA) is running a campaign to encourage MPs to keep the abortion time limit at 24 weeks. There are fears that MPs who oppose abortion will use the Human Embryology Bill to reduce it.

There is no scientific reason for lowering the limit, a view which is supported by the main organisations representing doctors and nurses - the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Faculty on Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.

Please urge you MP to keep the 24 week time limit. You can find her or him at www.upmystreet.com/commons. The FPA has printed postcards to send to MPs. They are at www.fpa.org.uk

MEPs EMPLOYMENT OF FAMILY MEMBERS

Tory MP Derek Conway was recently exposed for employing his two sons in his office while they were at university and working elsewhere. Allegedly neither of them actually did any work for their father as their allegiances were somewhere else. Although Conway denied this, he will not stand again for the House of Commons at the next general election.

Yesterday the European Parliament voted to ban MEPs employing their relatives. I was one of the large parliamentary majority who supported this measure.

Our allowances and expenses are rightly being closely scrutinised. It is important that you as taxpayers know what we receive and how we spend it.

MORE OLYMPIC WHINGING

Seventy-five pence in every one pound spent on the Olympic site will aid regeneration in east London. The Olympics will be of tremendous benefit to certain run down areas of London badly in need of extra resources.

Instead of supporting the Olympic preparations and understanding the opportunity the Games will provide for London and the country as a whole, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has now jumped on the anti-Olympic bandwagon. Edward Leigh, Tory Chairman of the PAC has accused ministers and officials of underestimating the true cost in order to win government and public support for the bid.

Tessa Jowell, the Olympics Minister, has denied that there was any intention to mislead on the costings for the Games. Quite right too. We need to stop whinging and get on with the Olympic project which will be good for London and good for Britain.

ANOTHER OLYMPIC WHINGE

Will the interminable Olympic bashing ever end? In case the whingers hadn't realised, the UK and London worked hard to host the games. We believed the Olympics would promote London as a world class city and leave a lasting legacy of regeneration and superb sports facilities.

A report from the New Economics Foundation is now saying the Games will not improve the lives of the poorest people in London. They cite previous Olympics in other countries as evidence for this assertion. It may simply be that those who held the Games in the past did not intend to provide any kind of economic boost for the less well or improve decaying infrastructure.

In case the whingers hadn't noticed, the 2012 Olympics intend to do both these things. The Olympics will be a huge benefit to London and Londoners. Please let's talk up our amazing opportunity.

ACTION ON OSTEOPOROSIS

Osteoporosis, brittle bone disease, affects one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50. Every thirty seconds someone in the European Union has a fracture as a result of the disease.
The sad truth is that much of the damage caused by the condition could be prevented by earlier diagnosis.

We need to raise the profile of osteoporosis so that people suffering from the disease get their fair share of medical treatment.

I have been chair of the Osteoporosis Interest Group in the European Parliament for a number of years. Earlier this week I opened a meeting of a panel of surgeons, doctors and medical professionals who were meeting to consider the results of an audit of osteoporosis provision in the EU.

Due to be published later this year, the audit will be a valuable tool in persuading Member States to improve their facilities. Preliminary figures from the audit show the UK near the bottom of the league table. I am intending to take this disgraceful situation up with Ministers in the near future.

BRIAN COLEMAN'S EXPENSES

Tory GLA Member Brian Coleman has run up a £4,147 taxi bill this year - more than all the GLA Members put together, including Ken Livingstone. He managed to claim £420 in one fell swoop by asking the cab to wait while he addressed a meeting of the Jewish Forum in Barnet during December.

While I firmly believe we elected representatives need adequate resources to do our jobs, over four grand to travel round the capital seems a bit steep, especially since Ken's transport improvements have made it much easier.

The odious Coleman denies booking any of the cars himself. He thought he was being ferried around in a GLA official car. "Because I've been Chairman and Deputy Chairman I'm entitled to an official car when attending official functions in the morning dress and wearing the diamonds around my neck," he told "Metro" newspaper.

Yet there is no official car and indulging in the bells and whistles of office is Coleman's choice ninety-nine percent of the time. Murad Qureshi, a Labour Member of the Greater London Assembly said, "He (Coleman) justifies getting taxis everywhere because he wears his bling around. There's no reason for him even to be wearing it."
You and I are paying Mr Coleman's insecure need to puff himself up. His sense of self-importance is really quite extraordinary and expensive.

UKIP MAYOR OF LONDON CANDIDATE

UKIP's candidate for Mayor of London, Gerard Batten, is obviously fighting hard to clear up corruption and improve financial transparency. On his campaign website he promises to "give Londoners value for money" and challenges Ken Livingstone's "lies" over how much the London Assembly costs.

However, Batten is clearly concerned that he is not being treated seriously enough. On 4th April he wrote to the Guardian to complain that he wasn't getting enough publicity. He said that "The way that some elements of the media have so far reported this election is a disgrace in a so-called democracy"

When not campaigning for Mayor of London, Batten is also a UKIP MEP for London. All MEPs have to submit a declaration of financial interests to the European Parliament every year. Unless MEPs expressly object, this is then made public on the European Parliament's website.

There are nine MEPs for London but Batten is the only MEP who refuses to allow his declaration of financial interests to be made public on Parliament's website.

Perhaps Batten might like to explain to the public why they can't see who he's taking money from before they vote for him.

CREATIVE INDUSTRY- WHERE ARE THE WOMEN?

The European Parliament has just finished debating a report the creative industries. I spoke in the Chamber, highlighting the important role of our creative and cultural industries, particularly the increasing part they play in our economy.

As a member representing London, the creative hub of the UK and indeed Europe, I am acutely aware of the benefits that such industries bring to a locality. London is diverse in culture and thriving in its creativity and as cultural and creative industries represent a significant sector in London's economy, I welcome recommendations to support their sustainability and growth.

That said I find it of great concern, that whilst women represent a huge number of employees within the industry, their absence in high ranking positions is stark.

As the report rightly pointed out, cultural industries are an important vehicle through which European values are communicated. Equality between men and women is one of the most important..

The origins of our flourishing cultural and creative industries lie in the diversity of individual talents and skills. Member States must investigate and address the barriers that prevent our most creative women from entering the boardroom.

MONEY TRANSFERS

A number of you have raised EU cross-border money transfers with me. There have been cases where UK banks have levied additional charges without informing the customer.

I have raised this issue with the Commission, via a written question, to establish what obligation UK banks have in informing customers of all charges prior to the commencement of the transaction. I have also asked for clarification on the regulations governing UK banks on extra charges levied for EU transfers denominated in Euros, and what action the Commission is taking to ensure that banks adhere to such regulations.

This is also an issue for those who wish to trade within the EU market.

I am waiting to hear the Commission's response.

I recently raised a similar question on credit card charges applied within the EU. The answer from the Commission was helpful in that they agreed to take the matter up with the relevant authorities. I hope we get another good response this time.

BREAKING THE POVERTY CYCLE- WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY.

Last week in the Parliament, MEPs invited experts to discuss "Combating Child Poverty in the EU". Whilst I acknowledge that child poverty is often best tackled at a local level, as the speakers rightly pointed out, a co-ordinated approach from EU policy makers through to practitioners at the grass-roots is needed.

As a member of the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee, what struck me was the significant impact of parents' employment status on not only a childs' risk of living in poverty but on their wider well-being. In the UK, for example, a child is five times more likely to be living in poverty if their lone parent is not in work.

To break the vicious cycle of poverty within families and communities, it is essential to provide employment opportunities for parents that offer flexible working patterns along with accessible and affordable high quality childcare.

I have and will continue to campaign for gender equality within the workplace. Equality of opportunity, however, should not start upon entrance to the labour market, or indeed into education, it should start from the day a child is born.

Parental rights and responsibilities are key in giving children the best start in life and I will be advocating their importance in the breadth of policies considered in my Committee work.

THE EU IS NOT TO BLAME

Yet again the British media are blaming the EU for legislation of Britain's own making. “Guardian” jounalist Claire Dyer, who should know better, has implied that the EU has “forced” new legislation into Britain concerning staff dealing with customers.

There is just one small problem - the EU directive on Equal Treatment, which she rightfully cites in her article "New sexual harassment laws to protect staff from customers" (31st March 2008), does not actually say anything about staff dealing with customers. This part of the legislation coming into force on the 6th of April is the result of the British based Equal Opportunities Commission winning a ruling in the British High Court concerning how the European directive should be implemented.

This was, therefore, purely a British based decision.

MOBILE TV VERSUS FACEBOOK

According to a recent report from Ofcom, a quarter of 8-11 year olds who are online in the UK have a profile on a social network

Earlier this week the European Parliament Culture and Education Committee referred to media literacy amongst young people in a discussion of new media technologies such as mobile TV. Technology is moving fast and could have enormous educational benefits.

I have always taken an interest in the advancement of new technologies, particularly with regard to how we can protect children from associated dangers. I will be keeping a close eye on the Parliament's discussions on the regulation of such new technologies, being careful to protect young people without generating fear about their use.

I would be very interested to hear whether you think mobile TV could replace Facebook as the next technological fad or will it flop? Please contact me with your response.

TODAY'S TORIES - CUDDLY AT HOME, NASTY ABROAD

Last plenary session we voted on a report on sexual health of women and girls in developing countries, which included a section on providing money for maternal health in developing nations, an established part of the European Parliament's overseas aid budget. An amendment to the report to cut funding for this important service duly appeared, encouraged no doubt by Development Committee member and religious zealot, Anna Zaborska.

Slovakian Zaborska, who views Aids as god's punishment for homosexuality, is a natural suspect for such anti-women sentiments. However, eleven Tories voted for the amendment and in favour of cutting references to the call by the UN's development goals for universal access to reproductive health care. Very nasty indeed. I wonder if David Cameron knows.

MANDELSON TO GO

Following in the footsteps of Commissoner Marcus Kyprianou from Cyprus, five other European Commissioners will go on or before the end of the current mandate in June 2009. One of the casualties will be our very own Peter Mandelson. According to "European Voice", "Prime Minister Gordon Brown made it clear that he would not be inviting his Party colleague and adversary Peter Mandelson to stay on board".

The others on the move are Franco Frattini (Italy), Louis Michel (Belgium), Jan Figel (Slovakia) and the respected Swede, Margot Wallstrom who has already served her allotted two terms.