Tag Archives: international

UN Committee rules that criminalisation of lesbian and bisexual women breaches the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women – Matrix

In a landmark decision, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has ruled that the criminalisation of lesbian and bisexual women breaches the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The Committee recognised that lesbians are particularly vulnerable to discrimination through laws and regulations.  It made a number of recommendations including that the State party, Sri Lanka, de-criminalise consensual same-sex sexual conduct between women.

The case was brought by Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, Executive Director of EQUAL GROUND, the main LGBT organisation in Sri Lanka, with the support of the Human Dignity Trust.

Rosanna Flamer-Caldera was represented by the Human Dignity Trust, Professor Christine Chinkin and Karon Monaghan QC from Matrix Chambers, Dr Keina Yoshida from Doughty Street Chambers, and DLA Piper.

https://www.matrixlaw.co.uk/news/un-womens-rights-committee-rules-that-criminalisation-of-same-sex-intimacy-between-women-is-a-human-rights-violation/

 

March 29, 2022

4 July 2021 ~ Final round of tampon tax fund launched – Closing Date

Charities can now apply for funding to support projects helping thousands of women and girls across the UK, as part of the latest and final round of the Government’s Tampon Tax Fund.

  • £11.25 million to be made available for charities working with disadvantaged women and girls
  • Threshold for applications reduced to £350,000

A pot of £11.25 million has been made available to charitable organisations to bid for, with priority given to those working to end violence against women and girls, as well as organisations that support a network of charities.

For this round of funding, the grant threshold has been reduced from £1 million to £350,000. This means that more organisations will be able to apply, increasing accessibility to organisations that support this vital work.

The Tampon Tax Fund was introduced in response to VAT being imposed on sanitary products by the European Union, and following this round will have provided more than £90 million of funding supporting women and girls charities.

As per the government’s manifesto commitment, the Chancellor announced at the Budget in March 2020 that the tax would end on 1 January 2021 following the UK’s exit from the EU, as part of a wider government strategy to make sanitary products affordable and available for all women.

The government is particularly encouraging applications from specialist women’s networks whose projects include making onward grants to other women’s’ charitable organisations. This will make use of the expertise in the charitable sector, ensure this round of funding reaches as many disadvantaged women and girls as possible and help the country to build back better following the pandemic.

Grants may be for 12 or 18-month projects, and all activities must be concluded and funds spent by 31 March 2023.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 4 July 2021.

For full details and application process go to https://www.gov.uk/government/news/final-round-of-tampon-tax-fund-launched

 

June 4, 2021

4 July 2021 ~ Final round of tampon tax fund launched – Closing Date

Charities can now apply for funding to support projects helping thousands of women and girls across the UK, as part of the latest and final round of the Government’s Tampon Tax Fund.

  • £11.25 million to be made available for charities working with disadvantaged women and girls
  • Threshold for applications reduced to £350,000

A pot of £11.25 million has been made available to charitable organisations to bid for, with priority given to those working to end violence against women and girls, as well as organisations that support a network of charities.

For this round of funding, the grant threshold has been reduced from £1 million to £350,000. This means that more organisations will be able to apply, increasing accessibility to organisations that support this vital work.

The Tampon Tax Fund was introduced in response to VAT being imposed on sanitary products by the European Union, and following this round will have provided more than £90 million of funding supporting women and girls charities.

As per the government’s manifesto commitment, the Chancellor announced at the Budget in March 2020 that the tax would end on 1 January 2021 following the UK’s exit from the EU, as part of a wider government strategy to make sanitary products affordable and available for all women.

The government is particularly encouraging applications from specialist women’s networks whose projects include making onward grants to other women’s’ charitable organisations. This will make use of the expertise in the charitable sector, ensure this round of funding reaches as many disadvantaged women and girls as possible and help the country to build back better following the pandemic.

Grants may be for 12 or 18-month projects, and all activities must be concluded and funds spent by 31 March 2023.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 4 July 2021.

For full details and application process go to https://www.gov.uk/government/news/final-round-of-tampon-tax-fund-launched

 

June 4, 2021

International Women’s Day in Wooler

Come and celebrate with local women!

Starting at 12.45 pm there will be a range of free drop-in taster sessions including yoga, willow and felting crafts; a campaign café, bird and bat box making, a practical singing workshop and much more.

As places are limited for this event it is advised to book in advance. You can see details about the programme and register here for the day, and to book into workshops or treatments ring the Cheviot Centre on 01668 282406

March 8, 2018

New measures to allow ratification of Istanbul Convention

Government announces measure as part of Domestic Abuse Bill

The government will introduce new measures to protect women and girls from crimes committed overseas as part of its Domestic Abuse Bill.

The new legislation would be the final step to enable ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, known as the Istanbul Convention.

Measures to be included in legislation will extend ‘extra-territorial jurisdiction’ so that certain offences committed by British citizens can be prosecuted in UK courts regardless of where they take place in the world.

Despite record numbers of prosecutions and convictions, there are still two million victims of domestic abuse every year in England and Wales.

Though the UK already complies with most aspects of the Istanbul Convention in the United Kingdom, legislation is required for extra-territorial jurisdiction to cover offences committed by British citizens overseas. This will be included in a Domestic Abuse Bill.

The Prime Minister announced her intention to introduce a draft Domestic Abuse Bill earlier this year to ensure that victims have the confidence to come forward safe in the knowledge that the state and justice system will do everything it can to both support them and their children, and pursue their abuser. The Queen’s Speech set out how a draft Bill will establish a Domestic Violence and Abuse Commissioner, define domestic abuse in law, and ensure that if abusive behaviour involves a child, the court can hand down a sentence that reflects the devastating life-long impact that abuse can have on them.

This government has introduced new laws and tools to protect victims of violence against women and girls including the criminalisation of forced marriage; two new stalking laws; the national roll-out of Domestic Violence Protection Orders and the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme; and a new offence of domestic abuse covering controlling and coercive behaviour. To support our commitment to tackling VAWG, we have pledged increased funding of £100 million until 2020.

In most respects we are already compliant with, or go further than, the convention requires, but there remains one outstanding issue in relation to extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) which must be addressed. Article 44 requires that all signatories take the necessary legislative measures to establish ETJ over any offence established in accordance with the convention.

There are still a number of these offences, including rape of an over 18 and sexual assault where ETJ does not yet apply. For this, further amendments to domestic law are necessary to comply and will require primary legislation to be introduced in England and Wales, as well as in Scotland and Northern Ireland. We will seek to do this for England and Wales through a Domestic Abuse Bill.

Part of a longer press release at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-measures-to-allow-ratification-of-istanbul-convention

See also: The Domestic Violence And Abuse Bill Is A Once-In-A-Generation Opportunity http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/polly-neate/queens-speech-domestic-violence_b_17240262.html

July 6, 2017