[WiLT] Fw: Update on the Community Conversations event - 11th March

[WiL Admin]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mandy Smith" <hackneywomenforum at yahoo.co.uk>
To: "marika mason" <marika at easypeasy.com>
Subject: Update on the Community Conversations event - 11th March



The purpose of the Community Conversions event is to influence Hackney's Gender
Equality Scheme which is about to be updated. The Gender Equality Duty is a law
which requires gender to be considered in all aspects of policy making.

Public bodies like Hackney Council must promote and take action to bring about
gender equality, which involves:
* looking at issues for men and women
* understanding why inequalities exist and how to overcome them
* creating effective service provision for all, so that everyone can access
services that meet their needs.

For us to advocate for women-only service provision, e.g. domestic violence
services, rape crisis centres, counselling and talking therapies, young girls
work we need to provide evidence of these needs for women and girls in Hackney.
This is why this Community Conversations event is so important. We cannot make
the case for the funding or contracting of services by women's organisations
without making sure that the needs are included in the Gender Equality Scheme.

So I am asking you all to spread the word and encourage as many women to come to
this event so that we can make some BIG NOISE and gather our EVIDENCE to get it
included in Hackney's new Gender Equality Scheme. For those of you who don't
know we have lost a third of the membership of the Women's Forum and another
women's organisation that has been operating in the borough for over 25 years
has closed. We have got to come together or else we will go down one by one.
There is strength in numbers and collective action.

Hackney Gazette wanted to send down a reporter and photographer to this event. I
have refused them permission given the sensitive nature of the subject. Also I
want women who have no legal status to feel safe to attend this event without
fear of state or public officials. This is a women-only event.

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING SO I CAN KEEP A REGISTER. THIS WILL
NOT BE AN OPEN FREE FOR ALL EVENT. I NEED WOMEN TO PRE-BOOK SO THAT WE CAN
ENSURE THAT WOMEN ARE SAFE AND THE CONVERSATIONS CAN HAPPEN IN PEACE. WE ALSO
NEED THE NAMES TO KNOW HOW MANY LUNCHES TO BOOK.

Any questions, email or text or phone me on 07950 220214.

Thanks for reading this email.

Best wishes,

Marika
HWF Facilitator
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: VAW focus group - publicity leaflet.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 273408 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://freecharity.org.uk/pipermail/womeninlondontraining/attachments/20100303/10d3fc93/attachment.doc