What Women Want -- From Politicians

Women exist in families and communities. 

They care for people and are often in low-paid jobs. 

A better world for women, where they are well paid, not stressed out, and feel safe, will be a better world for everyone.

A safer world for my daughter is a safer for everyone. 

Women as victims of low pay, poverty, and violence are not just suffering individuals; it has knock-on implications for society, especially through the way these things affect their children.

MOTHERHOOD:

I think a parent should be able to choose to stay at home with their pre-school children or be able to go to work, and that public policy should enable this choice, through:

• highly subsidized childcare places for parents who want to work (like in Sweden where parents pay a small contribution towards the costs),
• the taxation and benefits system should enable parents to stay home and raise children (payments for housework is a concept to consider), 
• a lower cost of living would make it far easier for parents (and grandparents) to reduce their working hours and afford to spend time with their children. A lower cost of living might be achieved through various policies, such as: (1) building low-rent council houses, (2) public-owned utilities to reduce these costs, and (3) a digital strategy to give all households access to the internet.

WORK:

Equal pay, of course!

Equal opportunities for all based on ability, of course.

Increased flexible work and part-time working, job sharing, and career breaks - of course! We exist in a 24/7 society, so work should offer flexible hours (note: most work—obviously not all work).

Better opportunities to retrain and re-enter education—of course.

Violence Against Women & Girls

A better, safer world for women is a better, safer world for everyone.

A few key areas of concern are:

• Violence at the hands of a romantic/domestic partner ~ women are twice as likely to be the victim. But more than 90% are women who are at high risk of serious assault/ murder/ rape.
• Thousands of people are “spiked” each year - ie, drugged - and 3 out of 4 of these victims are women.
• Harassment in all its forms seems to be greater for women, but it is also significant for men. 

* Some Factors in Violence Against Women

* Poverty, Low pay, and Unemployment are not an excuse!

There is substantial evidence that poverty, low pay, and unemployment play a significant role in increasing the risk of violence against women and girls (VAWG). They do not cause the violence on their own (that is always the perpetrator’s responsibility), but they help create a context in which VAWG is more likely, and they make it much harder for survivors to escape or recover from abuse.

* Drugs and Alcohol Misuse are not an excuse!

Alcohol and drug misuse are strongly linked to harassment, particularly sexual harassment, street harassment, and workplace misconduct. But the relationship is correlational and contextual — alcohol increases risk and frequency, but it’s not the root cause. Should we ban these things? I’m NOT generally in favour of prohibition, which often doesn’t work and encourages enterprising criminal gangs to set up shop. I’d prefer to look at causes and practical solutions to alcohol and drug misuse.

One thing that would make a big difference in the lives of women, young people (and everyone) is low-cost, safe, efficient, and frequent 24-hour public transport. 

This deserves a separate post all of its own one day. But good luck if you are looking to get across the Potteries area after 6 pm. You might be able to get a bus, but you might not have a connection. 

My Policies 

If I were the Prime Minister of one of the top 10 wealthiest countries in the world, these would be some of the top things I’d want to implement that I think will have a significant impact on women’s lives:

1. Lifting families out of poverty, primarily through tackling the cost-of-living crisis and the connected housing crisis, and through house building and job creation.
2. Heavily subsidised child care would be available year-round, rather than the ridiculous policies we have seen that only subsidised a few hours of childcare during school terms.
3. A greatly increased public transport system (this might involve taxis and minibusses at times and places of low demand) so that most people could get to work by bus in a reasonable amount of time and at a reasonable cost. Note: Some people cannot travel to and from work, even in urban areas, due to inadequate bus services.
4. Community support: since the Tory policy of austerity took hold, “community” has declined. Libraries, community centres, and community services such as Sure Start have closed down. These provided low-cost resources and places for people to go out and meet other local people. The dire consequences are rippling out, feeding crime, antisocial behaviour, and a sense of hopelessness. These things affect us all. I want to build communities, making sure every local area has something local.

There are other issues that are important, but I'm not sure what an MP  should do about them.

There are issues around menopause and perimenopause, which need a lot more research as well as public information. Women's suicide rates peak at the same time as the average age for menopause, indicating that this change in hormone levels is a significant issue for women. 

When it comes to toilets, we need a lot more of them. Public toilets have been closed down across the country; a civilised country funds public toilets. Wee need them!

Are there any women-only issues that only benefit women that should be on my priority list? Perhaps there are some—please leave a message and let me know.