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Karen Gill

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Challenging and changing mindsets only way to drive change for women

Posted: 16/08/11 18:51 BST

Change is in the air. The status of women and gender equality in the workplace is firmly on the news agenda and we must seize this chance to push for real change now.

I've just been reading about Kat Baynard's work at UK Feminista, which is helping to lead a resurgence in feminism. At their first event in 2004, they couldn't get 100 people to attend, this year 200 signed up on the first day it was announced. I find it really heartening to finally see so many women in this decade interested in steering change.

If last week's unrest tells us anything, it's that we've got to listen to young people and get them excited about what their future could hold. If we want a fairer and more equal society now, and certainly for the next generation of young women, we need to make feminism relevant and interesting to them.

My experience working to promote the role of women in business over the last 12 years has shown me that it's only by challenging and changing the mindsets, both of organisations and women, that we'll tackle the issues that are currently holding women back from achieving the same level of success as men.

We must show businesses that there are other ways of working that allow women to play a bigger role within this country's economic community. And we must challenge women to recognise that no matter what the attitude is of family and colleagues, the attitude that really counts in achieving your goals is your own.

What I particularly like about UK Feminista's work is that they offer practical help to women. It gives those who attend their events the skills and contacts, which are amongst the critical factors to affect change. Results are achieved in the doing and by giving such 'hands on' guidance to women, their work is likely to trigger real change.

We strive to do the same by supporting women on a practical level to get the best out of themselves - whether their ambition is to become a board director of a multinational or to set up their own business. We help women create a vision for themselves, ensure they have the right mental approach to achieve their goals and provide support and skills that help to generate long-term success. By enabling the individual, we will build the head of steam needed to power through new approaches and thinking for all aspects of life - home, work and the wider society.

Enough of the waiting game. I applaud all organisations helping women to move themselves forward. Their work will hopefully bring change sooner rather than later.

 

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03:54 PM on 08/29/2011
Karen, I completely agree with you. We can't wait for things to change from without. We must all work within our different environments (business, government, third sector) to effect change ourselves. And let's all take a pledge to support one another as we do so - no more catty remarks and no dissing one another. If we women can't support other women, we certainly can't expect men to do so. All hail the sisterhood, and all are welcome!
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Clare Macnaughton
12:43 AM on 08/18/2011
I am in. I am all for change. It's tough world because women give themselves away to easily and also we are playing a man's game. We need to completely re-write the rules. Women and men are like salt and pepper completely different - this needs to be understood by all. Turkey's don't vote for Christmas - liberating women doesn't do much for men who think they are the masters and they will do everything to oppose it. This is the position of the majority - there is change but it isn't widespread. Women need to work smarter to re-address the balance not harder!
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JohnBryansFontaine
Liberal Democrat
02:57 AM on 08/17/2011
Norway Killer’s Hatred of Women

Anders Breivik used anger against women to cast himself as a crusader, believing feminism is destroying the West from the inside and creating space for Islamism
by Michelle Goldberg

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/07/24/norway-massacre-anders-breivik-s-deadly-attack-fueled-by-hatred-of-women.html
01:35 AM on 08/17/2011
I was present at the UK Feminista conference you refer to. It was encouraging to see so many women eager to participate in the change agenda. However, I do think that we haven't reached the stage in society where action and activism can purely make a difference. I do think we need the levers of legislation and policy making too to hurry the process of gender equality along. Feminism often is a wonderfully powerful trigger for change.