Gender Project

Women in Employment ? UK national research project andSouthwark?s Gender Analysis of the labour market

Southwark Council is one of 12 local authorities participating in the national research project into women and employment funded by the European Social Fund and led by the Social Inclusion Centre at Sheffield Hallam University.

The project entitled Gender and Employment in Local LabourMarkets was the first research initiative to produce currentresearch at a local level across England analysing women?s positionin the labour market. It was funded by ESF policy field 5 measure 2Gender and Discrimination in Employment and matched with fundingand resources from the Equal Opportunities Commission, the TradesUnion Congress and 12 English local authorities.

The project produced

A gender profile of Southwark

• Containing gender disaggregated data at a local level usingstatistics from the annual Census data, Annual Business Inquiry andthe New Earnings Survey and other up to date information
• Shows differences between men and women in employment
• Assists in identifying key gender inequalities in the labourmarket
• Helps employers to plan for gender equality in theworkplace
• Compares Southwark figures with the London average and Englandas a whole

The profile identifies disadvantage and barriers experienced bywomen and includes chapters on the gender pay gap, age, educationand skills, industrial sectors, unemployment and economicinactivity, family circumstances, black and minority ethnic groups,and work-life balance.

Two local research studies on

• Ethnic minority women and access to the labour market
• Addressing women?s poverty: local labour marketinitiatives

Ethnic minority women and access to the labour market inPeckham, Camberwell & Livesey wards

Using a mix of quantitative (statistical) and qualitative (focusgroups) data the study identified

• Support needs
• Skills and aspirations
• Mismatches between skills and employment opportunities
• Travel to work issues
• Policy/resource recommendations
• Opportunities to empower and build confidence

The study has piloted arts based focus groups where womenparticipating had the opportunity to learn a new skill in collageor African drumming and storytelling, sharing their experiences andaspirations and encouraging each other to speak.

A component of the collage workshop invited women to take photosof their daily lives and display them with images showing theirpast, present and future.

Statistical data analysis was also conducted from the 2001Census Data in the Peckham, Camberwell Green and Livesey areas.

Women?s poverty and economic disadvantage

The Elephant & Castle is a high profile area regenerationscheme within Southwark and so the focus of this study was aroundthe Elephant & Castle wards of East Walworth, Chaucer andNewington. The aim was to inform the social, economic and physicalplanning for the regeneration of the area and other initiativeswithin the borough from a gender equality perspective.

The study was designed to examine public and private sectorinitiatives and developments, assess the impact of theseinitiatives on women, and make recommendations forimprovements.

The study used a variety of research methods including focusgroups, interviews, and analysis of statistical, documentary andmonitoring and evaluation data.

Gender Mainstreaming Event

In the UK the Equality Act 2006 comes into effect in April 2007 placing a duty on all public bodies to have due regard to eliminate unlawful and discrimination and harassment and to promote equality of opportunity between men and women. This means that local authorities have a duty not only to monitor but to take action to promote equality.

Complementary to the reports, in preparation for the new genderduty and in order to review how it can mainstream gender into allareas of its work and delivery, the council also organised a localgender mainstreaming event.

If you would like further information on Southwark?s genderreports, methodology and mainstreaming please contact Lisa-MarieBowles, European officer, regeneration and neighbourhoodsdepartment, Southwark Council.

Email: lisa-marie.bowles@southwark.gov.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7525 5486
http://www.southwark.gov.uk/

For information on Southwark's corporate approach to genderequality please contact John Mukungunugwa

Email: john.mukungunugwa@southwark.gov.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7525 7323

Contact details for National Research

If you would like information on Southwark's and other localauthority reports and comparative research reports please go theSheffield Hallam University website: www.shu.ac.uk/research/csi or contact Professor SueYeandle at the University of Leeds.

email: s.m.yeandle@leeds.ac.uk

tel: +44 (0) 113 343 4442