International Women's Day

Women who Make a Difference Awards 2009

The Awards, now in the 10th year, are in recognition of the invaluable contribution women are making to improving and sustaining the communties in which they live and work. Recipients are from a good cross section of the women living across all areas of the City, encompassing a wide range of age groups and cultures.

This year's recipients are awarded in five seperate categories:

Inspirational women
Young women
Personal one-to-one support
Community Activists
Environmental Champions

To see a full list of the recipients please click here.

To read the Eveing Post Article 'Bristol's women honoured for their achievements' please click here.

Introduction

The UN has designated the theme for International Women's Day 2009 as 'Ending Violence Against Women and Girls'. For more information about a global view of International Women's Day 2009 please visit the official website by clicking here.

On this Voscur webpage you will find information about Women's Groups in Bristol, events for International Women's Day, some key issues for women, and a list of the women featured in Venue's Powerful People List 2009.

If you have an event for International Women's Day you would like us to promote, please contact Emma Rice at Voscur on 0117 909 9949 or email: emma@voscur.org

The Current Issues for Women

Please click here to view a document highlighting brief information that resonates with current agendas of many women-led organisations in Bristol.

Women speak out

Campaigning for women’s equality

It is over 90 years since women were first given the right to vote in this country (as long as they were over 30, and married...). Women and girls are still facing persistent inequality and stark discrimination, yet today these facts are often overlooked, ignored or even disputed. The campaign for gender equality still has a long way to go to reach its aims.

To mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, there is a brief guide to some of the organisations campaigning for women’s equality in Bristol, and some of their current campaigns. Click here to view the Guide.

Powerful Women in Bristol & Bath

The 14 women named in Venue's '100 most powerful people in Bristol and Bath' List:

Jan Ormonroyd - Chief Executive, Bristol City Council
Helen Holland - Council Leader, Bristol City Council
Jane Henderson - Executive of the South West of England Regional Development Agency
Francine Haeberling - Council Leader, Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES)
Barbara Janke - Bristol City Council Liberal Democrat Group
Ruby McGregor-Smith - Chief Executive, MITIE Group (Bristol-based services company
Sonia Mills - Chief Executive, North Bristol NHS Trust
Wendy Stephenson - Chief Executive, Voscur
Amanda Deeks - Chief Executive, South Glos Council
Dawn Primarolo - MP, South Bristol
Mary Prior - Lord Lieutenant of Bristol
Maggie Ainley - Bath's Film Commissioner
Kate Brindley- Director, Bristol Museums, Galleries and Archives
Kerry McCarthy - MP, East Bristol

Women in London

An International Women's Day 2009 blog has been set up by Women in London to help publicise International Women's Day Events in 2009.

Women in London have been publicising International Women's Day events since they first launched Women in London in 1999 (see http://www.womeninlondon.org.uk/archive/arch19992003/iwd99.htm) so this year is their 10th Anniversary.

The inspiration for Women in London came from the pioneering work of the Scottish Women's web site Quine (http://www.quine.org.uk/) which was probably the first instance of feminists utilising the internet to publicised and share information between and about women.

All work is carried out by volunteers and is not funded. For more information about Women in London please Click here for the Women in London Website. Events lists from Women in London can be seen in the Events listings below.

Campaigns

New Campaign Hits Back at Portrayal of Girls as Pink Princesses

A new campaign that rails against the sexualisation of young girls and their stereotyping as 'pink princesses' has secured its first grant, from UnLtd.

PinkStinks – ‘the campaign for real role models’ has been set up by London twins Emma and Abi Moore, in a bid to start a backlash against Western society’s growing predilection to cast little girls as pretty, pink-clad, miniature adults. To read more please click here.

Women who Experience Violence - The Postcode Lottery

One in Four women who experience violence in Britain are left without support in their local areas. Each year in the UK three million women experience rape, domestic violence, stalking or other violence and many more are living with the legacy of abuse experienced in the past or as a child. Yet in many parts of Britain there is a shocking failure to ensure that women have access to vital support services. the Equalitiesand Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the End Violence Agaisnt Women
(EVAW) Coalition are asking for help to end this postcode lottery.

On 30 January 2009, ECHR and EVAW launched the 'Map of Gaps', a groundbreaking campaign and website which includes interactive maps showing what level of support is available in your local area. For
further information and to access the maps please visit: www.mapofgaps.org The website includes information about violence against women as well as template action letters to Local Authorities and MP's.