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New public sector duty to promote gender equality – what will this mean for women’s organisations?

Women’s Resource Centre is holding a seminar on the new duty on public bodies to promote gender equality, and how it will affect the women’s voluntary sector. Speakers include Lowri Griffiths (Equal Opportunities Commission), Tebussum Rashid (Black Training and Enterprise Group) and Sue Smith (Oxfam).

Wednesday 11^th May 05, 1pm-3:30pm (lunch included), Holloway Road area.

This is a free event and all are welcome but you must book in advance. Please contact Leah Williams to book (020 7377 0088 or info@...) or download a form from www.wrc.org.uk/eventswrc.htm.  The venue is wheelchair accessible and has an induction loop, please tell us about other requirements when you book.

Further information:

By late 2006 public bodies such as local authorities, the police and the NHS will have a duty to promote gender equality. This will put women and women’s organisations in the spotlight and could open up opportunities for funding and influencing the priorities of local authorities and other bodies. However, it could also result in ‘consultation fatigue’ or women’s organisations losing out to big mainstream organisations in competitive bidding for contracts to carry out gender equality work.

This seminar (Weds May 11^th, 1pm-3:30pm) will discuss these issues and more, and look at what women’s organisations need to do now to ensure they don’t miss out. Speakers include:

·         Lowri Griffiths from the Equal Opportunities Commission on what the new duty will involve and how women’s organisations need to get involved.

·         Tebussum Rashid from Black Training and Enterprise Group on how the similar race duty (Race Relations Amendment Act) has impacted on the Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary sector and how women’s organisations can learn from this experience.

·         Sue Smith from the Oxfam ReGender project on how women’s organisations can carry out gender impact assessments’ of how local policies affect women.

To book your free place please contact Leah Williams on 020 7377 0088 or info@... or download a booking form from www.wrc.org.uk.

Leah Williams
Information and Events Officer
Women's Resource Centre
76 Wentworth Street
London, E1 7SA

Tel: 020 7377 0088            Fax: 020 7377 5544

Email: info@...     Web: www.wrc.org.uk

Direct line: 020 7426 9625

Generating, promoting and sustaining voluntary action that improves the status of women.

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