The Fawcett Society, supported by a group of charities, unions and academics, has published a report outlining policy recommendations for the Government to ensure that progress made in women's rights and equality is not undermined by deficit reducing budget cuts.
The recommendations outlined in ‘A Life Raft for Women’s Equality’ include:
- Restoring support for childcare costs to low-income families to help ensure women are financially better off working.
- Protecting funding for Sure Start children's centres.
- Protecting the funding for support services which help women who are victims of domestic violence.
Commenting on the launch of the report, Alison Garnham, Chief Executive of Child Poverty Action Group said:
"Child poverty and the incomes and services women are able to access are intrinsically linked. The vast majority of child benefit is received by women, whether as the main carer in a couple, or a single parent. It is hugely unfair that such a large burden of the government's cuts should be falling on the shoulders of women and children, and it would be profoundly wrong if these unfair cuts to child benefit became permanent."
