Women’s Day marked in Lochaber

HOPEFULLY, you cannot have failed to notice that this is a significant year for the women’s movement and women’s rights as 2018 marks 100 years since some women in Britain were first awarded the vote.

So, as we celebrate International Women’s Day today, we would like to take this opportunity to reflect on some of the significant achievements and advances that have marked the women’s rights movement throughout Scotland and Britain.

Initially, a parliamentary vote was only awarded to women aged over 30 who were property owners and university educated. We had to wait a further 10 years (1928) for all women in Britain to gain equal voting rights as men (aged 21), and 1929 saw the first general election where women were allowed to vote. This came to be known as the ‘flapper election’. A reference to the style of women’s clothing at the time.

In 1931, the Family Planning Association was formed. This allowed married couples to space or limit their family numbers.

In 1941, the National Services Act was passed. This allowed

Pictured from left, Helen Gallon, Deirdre Coull, Eilidh Fraser, Karen MacInnes, and chairwoman Christine Donnelly.

for all unmarried women aged 20 to 30 to be called up for war work during the Second World War. The significance of the contribution that women made to war work is highlighted by the fact that the act was later extended to include all married women up to the age of 43.

Having played such a significant role throughout the Second World War, British women began to gain in confidence and to campaign for changes in family and working conditions. The Married Women’s Property Act (1964) and the Abortion Act (1967) were just two acts that were passed in favour of giving women more rights for themselves.

It is interesting to note that in 1965 the former USSR declared International Women’s Day a non-working day in recognition of the significant contribution made by women to ‘the defence of their fatherland during the Great Patriotic War, in their heroism and selflessness at the front and in the rear, and also marking the great contribution of women to strengthening friendship between peoples, and the struggle for peace’.

In what is now recognised as being the second tranche of feminism which addressed inequalities and the role of women in society, the Equal Pay Act (1970) made it illegal to pay women lower rates than men for the same work.

Then 1979 saw the first woman Prime Minister elected in the UK, with 2014 seeing the election of a woman as First Minister of Scotland.

So, while there have been some significant advances across social, political and economic aspects of life for women, it is ironic that 2018 has commenced with the prominence of campaigns such as #EqualPayDay in response to the revelations that the BBC fails to pay its female presenters the same as its male presenters.

Why are women paid less? They are paid less because they are considered to be worth less.

So, while in 2018 we can celebrate 100 years of female emancipation, we still need to consider what we can all do to advance gender equality further. What can you do to encourage and empower women and girls?

Maybe you could …

❒ Tell one other person about International Women’s Day.

❒ Campaign for equality your place of work, school community.

❒ Select women as spokespeople and leaders.

❒ Extend opportunities women first.

❒ Make an opportunity showcase women’s success.

❒ Take a junior female worker to a meeting.

❒ Encourage your female neighbour to join their local community council.

❒ Check and make sure that you’re paying your staff equally regardless of gender.

❒ Have a party to celebrate the achievements of the females in your family or organisation. in or to to ❒ Challenge your husband, your brother, your father to think differently. Ask them what they can do to advance gender equality.

There has never been a better time to move forward and progress the female agenda for equality. Maybe it’s why the Scottish Government has recently announced a fund to encourage more women into politics.

History shows us that collective action and shared responsibility are what make International Women’s Day successful and have driven gender equality in the past.

Our message on International Women’s Day is simple: wherever we live and work, our actions matter.

To quote 10-times Wimbledon champion Serena Williams: ‘The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up.’

International Women’s Day is our day, it’s your day. Do what you can to truly make a positive difference for women and girls.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we’ve created a display which you can see at Fort William Library until March 12. The display shows the development of the women’s rights movement and picks out some inspirational women pioneers. We are hoping that our display will give women and girls the inspiration to go forward and make change.