Striving for Gender Equality within Public Services

Description

Gender equality is a fundamental human right. It is essential that women are provided with equal access to essential public services, including education, housing and healthcare.
However, there is still a huge amount of work to be done to overcome gender disparities.
Research suggests that women remain hugely disadvantaged, with cuts to public services disproportionately affecting women. In addition to this, women are continually under-represented in senior positions within both public and private sector. The gender pay gap also remains stubbornly high and allegations of sexual harassment continue.
The aims of this stream are to discuss gender disparities, sexual violence and discrimination within public services. This includes defining and challenging existing conceptions of empowerment and dominant discourses relating to gender equality. Too often research and discourses around gender equality view women as primary changemakers and problem solvers, which ignores the role of historical, engrained disadvantages and institutional discrimination.
This stream (convened by the speakers above who also acted as discussants) involved a number of papers which showcased research and activism around gender inequalities. Many of which had implications for transforming organisational policies, procedures and structures within public services.

Period	10 Sep 2018
Event title	21st Annual Dilemmas for Human Services International Research Conference
Event type	Conference
Location	Northampton, United Kingdom
Degree of Recognition	International