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The Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/01/05/
nwomen105.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/01/05/ixhome.html
Lost opportunities in politics, public life and
business
By Sarah Womack
(Filed: 05/01/2004)
Women in politics
There are 119 female MPs at Westminster among a total of 659. Women's
representation increased significantly at the 1997 election, as a result of
all-women shortlists, but does not match the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish
Parliament.
In those newer institutions, representation is more balanced
between men and women as a result of "positive action" including
"twinning" and "zipping". Twinning is where two
constituencies jointly select a male and female candidate, one to contest each
seat. Under zipping, in elections using proportional representation, a party
slots women and men alternately on regional lists.
Half of Welsh Assembly members and 40 per cent of members of
the Scottish Parliament are women. The Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates)
Act 2002 allows political parties to take special measures such as women-only
shortlists, training for selection committees and women-only training for
potential candidates and women's networks.
Research by the Fawcett Society said that without
"positive action" it would take a century for the Liberal Democrats to
have as many female as male MPs and 300 years for the Tories to reach parity.
Women in public life
Four million women work in the public sector, compared with 2.4 million men, but
women hold a minority of the most senior posts. While 71 per cent of local
authority employees are women, few make it to the top: 13 per cent of chief
executives are women.
Women make up the majority of the teaching profession, but not
its most senior positions: 29 per cent of secondary school head teachers and 26
per cent of further education college principals are women.
Eighty years after women began practising as solicitors and
barristers, a woman has been appointed to Britain's highest court for the first
time: Lady Brenda Hale became a Lord Appeal in Ordinary this month. The other 11
law lords are men.
Women in business
Women make up 45 per cent of the workforce and 30 per cent of managers, but
boardrooms are overwhelmingly male. Nine per cent of executive and non-executive
directors on the boards of FTSE 100 companies are women. In the US, 28 per cent
of small businesses are women-owned but in Britain it is 13 per cent, compared
with 44 per cent for men.
How more women can reach the top
The EOC says all employers should promote flexible working so the post holder
can combine work with caring responsibilities. Employers should also assess
applicants on merit, without making assumptions about people "fitting
in", and advertise all vacancies openly rather than rely on networks.
Where women are under-represented in public life, people
recruiting should use "positive action". Government departments and
bodies should ensure that payment explicitly recognises the loss of earnings
that can result from taking a public appointment and the costs of caring
responsibilities.
Those making judicial appointments should encourage
applications from lawyers earlier in their careers. |
