EuroMed gender equality news

Shafilia Ahmed wanted to be a lawyer and to make her own relationship choices. But her parents judged the 17 year old's aspirations to be shameful to the family, so they killed her and made their other children watch the consequences of perceived dishonour.

Banaz Mahmod had been forced into an abusive, violent marriage. When she fled and was seen kissing another man in public the so-called honour code was applied. She was raped, garrotted and her body packed in a suitcase.

When Surjit Atwal sought refuge from her abusive arranged marriage by enjoying nights out with friends she'd made through a new job, her mother-in-law arranged for her to be lured out of the country and killed.

What country? India? Pakistan? The Middle East?
No. All three of these victims of honour crime grew up in England.

"The UK’s gender pay gap is currently 22 per cent – the sixth worst in the EU.

A report by the Office of National Statistics this week showed that the proportion of women in work has increased dramatically since 1971. Men are only 9 per cent more likely than women to be in work now, compared to 39 per cent more likely in the ‘70s.

A success story, some might say? Well, yes – but the job is only halfway complete.

The challenge now is to create equality within work. As the report showed, women are more likely to be in badly paid sectors – 77 per cent of UK admin and secretarial workers are female, for example. Women form two thirds of those earning less than a living wage and three quarters of those in part-time work. Parenthood continues to penalise."

"A third of women cannot afford to save a penny towards their pensions, leaving them to face a vulnerable old age. Women say other commitments, such as providing for their children, mean that they cannot afford to put anything by. Some admit their only provision, apart from a state pension, will be living off their partner’s pension.

See more at: http://www.womensviewsonnews.org/2013/10/women-cant-afford-to-save-for-their-pensions/#sthash.2WaztHl4.dpuf