Women in London's Economy
Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington and Britain’s first black woman MP, yesterday chaired a conference session on Women in London’s Economy. The session named Breaking Down the Barriers dealt with how to break barriers of perception standing in the way of women pursuing less traditional careers. Diane said much had been achieved in terms of gender equality but warned that there are “still battles to fight to ensure equality for women in the workforce”.
At the conference, organised by the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone in response to recent research findings into gender inequality in London’s economy, Diane said: “It’s all about fighting pre-conceptions. It’s not always about absolute skills. Even in the 21st century it’s about breaking down prejudice.” Diane went on: “There are unfortunately still battles to fight in order to ensure equality for women in the workforce. We need to look at ways of winning these battles. We must consider positive action in education and training and we need to make sure to stamp out the unconscious stereotyping which perpetuates women going into traditional roles.”
Diane continued: “Ideas about what constitutes a man’s job and vice versa are instilled in children from a very young age. We must encourage children, especially girls, to keep an open mind and expose them to career paths they might not intuitively have chosen. This makes sense not just morally but also from a pure business perspective. The more diverse a workplace is, not just in gender terms, but also with regards to ethnicity and age, the more creative problem-solving will necessarily be.”
Diane said: “I am grateful to the Mayor of London for having conducted these significant studies which highlight the work we have yet to.” Diane concluded: “we need to work harder to encourage young women to have not only the confidence, but also the imagination, to choose ‘non-traditional’ career paths. This is a cause very close to my heart. I have myself chosen a path venturing into what has traditionally been seen as a man’s domain. Women unfortunately still experience feeling excluded where their workplace is one of the traditional ‘men’s clubs’.”
Referring to the Mayor’s research findings Diane concluded: “The situation is exacerbated in London where the number of women in work and the pay women receive is lower than the national average. I believe the Olympics represent a fantastic opportunity for us to tackle occupational segregation and get women trained in non-traditional trades such as construction. London will attract masses of jobs and we have to make sure that a proportionate number of these go to women.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
1. The conference Women in London’s Economy was organised by the Greater London Authority and opened by London’s Mayor Ken Livingstone. For more information about the research findings please contact the Mayor’s office on 0207 983 4000 or visit: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/economic_unit/wile/index.jsp
2. The conference was attended by approx. 500 opinion formers, policy makers, business owners, top management professionals and union leaders from across London’s businesses, voluntary and public sectors.
3. Other speakers included R thon Tessa Jowell MP and Frances O’Grady, Deputy General Secretary – Trades Union Congress.
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