Gender and Gender Identity
We have been working towards continuity of compliance with the Equality Act (2010) which has superseded the Gender Equality Duty and building on the work that has been carried out in previous years. We will be reporting on our compliance in our Annual Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Report.
The Council, when carrying out its functions is required to have due regard to the need to:
- Eliminate sex discrimination and harassment that is unlawful under the Equality Act (2010) and in relation to employment and vocational training, eliminate discrimination and harassment against transsexual individuals.
- To promote equality of opportunity between men and women.
- Address the causes of any gender pay gaps
In summary, these duties apply to services, employment, policy development, procurement, performance management, organisational design and delivery and any other corporate activity that is not explicitly exempt from the Act.
The Home Office has various information on its website around Gender Equality (website).
The following gender related information is taken from the "How Fair is Britian" Report (website) produced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission:
1. 40% of female jobs are in the public sector compared to 15% of male jobs.
2. Throughout their lives, women are much more likely than men to take on unpaid care responsibilities both for children, and for older people. Men are more likely than women to lack the practical support that meets their needs as they get older.
3. Girls outperform boys routinely at aged 5, at age 16 and at degree level throughout Britain.
4. A growing proportion of managerial and professional positions taken by women.
5. Women make up 59% of the undergraduate population; the proportion has been stable since 2003.
6. There is a higher proportion of men at the top ranking universities.
7. Men are more likely to be overweight than women however, among Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Black African populations, women are less likely to be of normal/healthy weight than men (data available for England only).
8. Around 25% of Pakistani men are primarily taxi drivers; women make up 83% of people employed in personal services.
9. Women are disproportionately affected by sexual assault and domestic abuse.
10. Around 1 in 10 people in England, Scotland and Wales report potential mental health problems, Women are more likely to report potential problems, but under-reporting may mean that levels of mental health problems for men are higher than they appear.
11. Women occupy 77% of administration and secretarial posts but only 6% of engineering and 14% of architects, planners and surveyors.
12. Women hold 1 in 3 managerial jobs in Britain.
13. Bangladeshi and Pakistani women in Britain are more likely to be employed as professionals than Bangladeshi and Pakistani men.
14. Women with degrees are estimated to face only a 4% loss in lifetime earnings as a result of motherhood, while mothers with mid-level qualifications face a 25% loss and those with no qualifications a 58% loss.
15. While a large proportion of homicide victims are men, women are more likely than men to be killed by partners, ex-partners, or family members.
16. Three times as many men as women commit suicide, and rates are particularly high for younger men aged 25-44.
17. There is evidence that a higher proportion of women in prison have experienced domestic violence than have women in the population as a whole.