News & Campaigns

All the latest from HER-itage and our affiliates

15 September 2020 10:00 ~ Visions of Feminist Peace – Centre for Women, Peace and Security – Online – + 17 & 21 September 2020

Now open for registration 

The Feminist International Law of Peace and Security (FILPS) is hosting a series of virtual events in collaboration with the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) to build on visions of a feminist peace.

Women’s tireless activism through political institutions and local communities, through protest, advocacy, litigation and scholarship, has been instrumental in securing the progressive development of policy and law, at national and international levels. Across the world, women’s and feminist groups are using legal and policy tools creatively to advance equal rights. Yet transformative change remains slow. Women are still fighting for equality in all spheres of life. Peace remains an elusive goal. Women, and even more so minority women, continue to be excluded and marginalised from mainstream conflict prevention efforts to peacebuilding measures. Reflecting on this, the programme of events will discuss an interdisciplinary, inclusive, intergenerational feminist vision of peace.

The full programme of events can be found online here including details on artistic contributions, and you can register to receive event updates here.

Up Coming Visions of Feminist Peace Panel Events

International Law and a Gender-Just Peace – 15th September, 10:00 – 11:30 (BST)  

Can we Archive Memories? Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp and Beyond – 17th September, 15:30 – 16:30 (BST)  

Feminist Peace in International Law and the Academy: a conversation with Professor Di Otto – 21st September, 9.30 – 10.30 (BST)

 

September 8, 2020

8 September 2020 12:00 ~ Report Launch: The Ripple Effect: Covid-19 and the Epidemic of Online Abuse – Glitch with EVAW – Online

A lunchtime discussion on this new report’s findings on the gendered impact of Covid-19 online

Lockdown measures in response to Covid-19 has amplified and extended breeding grounds for online abuse, leading to greater challenges for the online safety of women and non-binary people, particularly from Black and minoritised backgrounds. With the likelihood of there being a second spike, it is crucial we learn and mitigate the impact the pandemic has on all forms of violence against women and marginalised communities. In response, during the summer, Glitch! and End the Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) undertook the largest investigation into gender-based and intersectional abuse online. Our new report, The Ripple Effect: Covid-19 and the Epidemic of Online Abuse, details key findings into the diverse experiences and patterns of online abuse, and the psychological, social, and behavioural impact – especially on those with multi-intersecting identities.

Join us for a one hour discussion where we’ll:

  • Share our insights into how hundreds of women and non-binary people have experienced online abuse during pandemic
  • Outline key recommendations for tech companies, government, employers and civil society organisations
  • Answer questions about the report and the gendered online impact of Covid-19

With online abuse increasing during the pandemic, it’s more important than ever before to discuss what can be done to tackle this ripple effect by key institutions. Urgent action is needed across society to address the undercurrent of online abuse. We hope that you will join us to better understand the current situation, as well as what must be done to change the tide.

Speakers for this event are:

  • Sian Elliots, Policy Officer, TUC
  • Marsha de Cordova MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities
  • Sarah Green, Director of EVAW
  • Seyi Akiwowo, Director and Founder of Glitch

About Glitch

Glitch is a UK based charity (no. 1187714 ) recognised internationally for working to make the online space safe for all by raising awareness of online abuse and its impact through an intersectional lens, advocating for long term and systematic change from both tech companies and governments as well as delivering a range of educational programmes on digital citizenship, digital self care and safety.

About EVAW

The End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) is a leading coalition of specialist women’s support services, researchers, activists, survivors and NGOs working to end violence against women and girls in all its forms. Established in 2005, we campaign for every level of government to adopt better, more joined up approaches to ending and preventing violence against women and girls, and we challenge the wider cultural attitudes that tolerate and condone this abuse. The EVAW Coalition is a company limited by guarantee (no. 7317881) and a registered charity (no. 1161132).

How to Join

This training workshop will be delivered on Zoom. Our online code of conduct for participating and a Zoom link will be sent closer to the session. Please note the session will be recorded but only the presentation by Glitch and EVAW will be shared.

Access

We are committed to ensuring that this training workshop accommodates the needs of all womxn and non-binary people, interested in participating. If you require BSL interpretation, a stenographer or electronic notetaker or any other form of access support, please email info@fixtheglitch.org to talk further about the support that you need.

Free – but please register online at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/report-launch-the-ripple-effect-covid-19-and-the-epidemic-of-online-abuse-tickets-118510615441

September 4, 2020

Royal Mail Group Develops Online Safe Spaces service to support victims of domestic abuse – Hestia

Amid growing reports of domestic violence during lockdown, Royal Mail develops an ‘Online Safe Spaces’ portal, which can be installed on corporate websites for free. This discreet service helps abuse victims access support and advice, while leaving no internet history trace

  • Royal Mail Group has worked with crisis charity Hestia to develop an ‘Online Safe Spaces’ portal, which provides support for victims of domestic abuse.
  • ‘Online Safe Spaces’ is a discreet portal, which can be installed on both internal and external company websites. It provides a variety of helpful support, advice and contact information to those at risk of or experiencing domestic abuse. It also features a quick exit button and leaves no internet history, ensuring the safety of those using the service.
  • The portal provides a host of information for victims; including when to dial 999, national helplines, local support groups and further useful links. It also includes a questionnaire to determine a person’s domestic abuse risk.
  • The initiative was developed by Royal Mail Group Senior Legal Advisor Charlie Ryan, as part of the Company’s entry in the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers – Global Legal Hackathon Challenge*. The challenge asked participants to produce the most pioneering solutions to societal problems posed by the Covid-19 crisis.
  • ‘Online Safe Spaces’ will be launched on external and internal websites across Royal Mail Group, including Royal Mail and Parcelforce, from today. The Company is offering the portal software for free, to any corporate organisation that would like to support the cause.

Royal Mail Group announces the launch of a free ‘Online Safe Spaces’ portal for corporate websites, to support victims of domestic abuse.  The service has been developed in collaboration with the charity Hestia and its ‘UK SAYS NO MORE’ campaign.

‘Online Safe Spaces’ is a discreet portal that opens in a pop-up window, which can be installed on both internal and external websites. The service provides support, advice and helpful contact numbers for those at risk of domestic abuse. It leaves no internet history trace, and provides quick exit options for the person seeking information.

Royal Mail Group has worked with the national ‘UK SAYS NO MORE’ campaign and abuse experts from the University of Bristol to ensure that the ‘Online Safe Spaces’ provides a host of helpful links and information, including; when to dial 999, national helplines, local support groups and further useful links. It also includes a questionnaire to determine the participant’s risk of domestic abuse.

Part of a longer press release https://www.hestia.org/news/royal-mail-group-develops-online-safe-spaces-service-to-support-victims-of-domestic-abuse

September 4, 2020

2 in 5 working mums face childcare crisis when new term starts – TUC poll

Around 2 in 5 (41%) working mums with children under 10 can’t get – or are unsure whether they will get – enough childcare to cover the hours they need for work this September, according to a new TUC poll published on 3 September 2020.

  • ICM survey for the TUC reveals working mums are struggling to find childcare
  • TUC calls for dedicated support to keep parents in jobs and a government cash boost for the childcare sector

As children around England begin to return to school, an ICM survey for the TUC reveals that many mums are missing out on their usual forms of childcare. Among mums who are certain they’re unable to get enough childcare from September:

  • Nearly half (45%) said they don’t have their usual help from friends and family
  • More than a third (35%) told the TUC they can’t get places at afterschool clubs
  • Nearly 1 in 3 (28%) have lost childcare provided by school breakfast clubs
  • The same proportion (28%) don’t have their usual nursery or childminder available.

The pressure of juggling work and childcare 

  • The polling also shines a light on the huge pressures felt by working mums during the coronavirus outbreak:
  • The vast majority (90%) of working mums said they have taken on more childcare responsibilities since the pandemic began
  • More than 2 in 5 (43%) said they have had to combine working at home and childcare – compared to less than 3 in 10 (29%) of their partners
  • 3 in 10 (30%) mums told the TUC they regularly worked early in the morning (pre-8am) or late at night (post-8pm) to balance work and childcare
  • 1 in 6 (16%) – mostly those in low-paid jobs – said that they have had no choice but to reduce their working hours.

Impact on work 

While some mums have had to take a financial hit by cutting back on work, others have felt the stress of trying to ‘do it all’ and now worry how they will be viewed by their managers:

  • Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) said that they were worried that balancing work and childcare has affected how they will be assessed by their manager
  • 1 in 6 (16%) told the TUC they were worried that it has impacted on their chances of a promotion in the future.

The TUC is calling on the government to: 

  • Protect women’s jobs during the Covid-19 crisis: The option of furlough should remain in place beyond October to support parents who are unable to return to work because of childcare responsibilities until schools and childcare settings are fully reopened
  • Give financial support to the childcare sector: An urgent cash boost – similar to the financial help given to the industry in Germany – is needed so that childcare providers can continue to offer the levels of care they were providing before the pandemic.
  • Enable mums and dads to balance work and childcare: give staff the right to work as flexibly as possible from their first day in the job. Flexible working can take lots of different forms, including having predictable or set hours, working from home, job-sharing, compressed hours and term-time working.

Part of a longer press release at https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/2-5-working-mums-face-childcare-crisis-when-new-term-starts-tuc-poll

September 4, 2020

COVID-19 and the female health and care workforce – Health and Care Women Leaders Network

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented pressure on health and care staff. In June the Health & Care Women Leaders Network (HCWLN) commissioned a survey to better understand the impact the pandemic has had on women working across health and care services.

Over 1,300 women responded, this report and accompanying slide deck explain the findings. The report describes the struggles, pains and fears women working in health and care services have faced during the pandemic. The physical and emotional impact due to caring responsibilities both in and outside of work are significant. It also draws out some of the positive experiences, such as opportunities for learning and the strength of support many have received from their managers.

The HCWLN guiding group wanted to understand the impact the pandemic was having on HCWLN members. They wanted to capture this experience to inform learning and understand any immediate actions and practical steps that can be taken to improve the support to women working in health and care services.

Read the full report and download the slide deck which gives a more detailed look into the findings.

For more information on the network see their dedicated web pages and follow the network on Twitter @hcwomenleaders.

https://www.nhsconfed.org/resources/2020/08/covid19-and-the-female-health-and-care-workforce

September 4, 2020