The Governments welfare reform policies are having a disproportionate impact on women.
The Scottish Parliament Welfare Reform Committee released a report which found that those who had suffered domestic abuse were particularly at risk, as well as disabled women, refugees, carers, and lone parents.
Read the MSP Committee report here.
Vivienne Hayes MBE, CEO of the Women’s Resource Centre told the Independent:
“We warmly welcome this report and the recommendations within it which concur with our own requests that the UK government assess its policy impact of the further entrenchment of women’s inequality and take practical actions to reverse these,” she said.
“Austerity decisions are choices and we expect those choices to address inequality not compound it.”
“Punishing women for being carers, for being disabled, for being refugees, or being migrants is senseless – and also plunges more children into poverty,” said Florence Burton of Fair Deal for Women.
“We hope this report can help to change the current debate and give decision makers a reality check on the situation”.
A Fair Deal for Women partner organisation The Fawcett Society’s Belinda Phipps said:
“We gave evidence to the committee and it is good to known that we have been listened to”
“We welcome the recommendations and the recognition that women are unfairly treated under the welfare system as it is now. We would like to thank the committee for its work and we hope that these recommendations will be looked at in England and Wales.”
Read the original article published 06/07/15 in the Independent by Jon Stone here.
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