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Next year ‘critical’ for women’s rights

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womankind, 2015 elections, making change possible‘Real change for women worldwide is possible – now we want to see it happen.’

Womankind Worldwide has called on next UK government after the upcoming 2015 elections to take advantage of an unprecedented opportunity and make progress on gender equality.

In a briefing with the title ‘Delivering for women globally: Womankind’s vision for the next UK Government’, Womankind Worldwide set out what the see as priority actions for addressing the persistent violence, inequality and discrimination experienced by women worldwide.

Calling 2015 a ‘critical’ year for progressing women’s rights around the world, Womankind calls on the UK to use its status as a global leader to ‘take definitive, concrete action to ensure inclusive, stable and peaceful societies, in which women fully participate as equal citizens.’

Womankind Worldwide is an international women’s rights charity, set up by Sir Alec Reed of Reed Employment plc, working to help women transform their lives in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

It also works collectively to influence the policies and practices of government and non-governmental organisations through sharing knowledge and experience.

In 2015, the successor framework to the Millenium Development Goals (MDG) will be agreed, and a 20-year review of progress on the Beijing Platform for Action will be undertaken.

Womankind points out that ‘significant progress has been made in recent years,’ and asks that the next UK government builds on that momentum to ‘ensure that every aspect of the UK’s internationally-focused work fully delivers for women.’

Every action needed to increase gender equality has at its heart support for women’s rights organisations, something that Womenkind says must be made explicit in every plan and programme, from the reduction of poverty to increased access to and inclusion in democratic processes and improved methods of achieving social justice.

Commitments that Womankind Worldwide is asking the next UK government to make include supporting a stand-alone goal on women’s rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment in the framework that will replace the MDGs; agreeing a cross-Whitehall international gender equality plan within the government’s first 100 days; and making  tackling violence against women and girls a priority in all country-level work.

Womankind recommends that the cross-Whitehall plan prioritises increased funding to women’s rights organisations, and that the next government addresses ‘the most common form of violence against women and girls: intimate partner violence.’

Real change for women worldwide is possible. To help see it happen, please email your MP the briefing link. Thanks.

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