Response to “Women’s refuges told they must admit men”, The Observer Sunday 5th April

We write to express our serious concern that some local authorities still misunderstand and misinterpret the Gender Equality Duty: the most important piece of equality legislation for women in Britain since the Sex Discrimination Act in 1975 (“Women’s refuges told they must admit men”, Sunday 5th April).

The Gender Equality Duty requires public bodies, including councils and government departments, to take steps to eliminate discrimination and promote equality between women and men. It is intended to ensure that the needs of women and men are met in an appropriate and proportionate manner, not through a “one-size-fits-all” approach.
Women are far more likely to experience rape, domestic violence, forced marriage and other forms of gender-based violence. Single sex services remain lawful and legitimate if they meet specific and identified needs, such as addressing these issues.

Quite simply, men are not subjected to the same dangers and do not have the same needs. Indeed, as stated by the Solicitor General to Parliament in May 2008, not only does the Duty not mean an end to women-only services, the government positively encourages public bodies to be proactive in tackling violence against women through these services. Single sex services are completely lawful and legitimate if they meet specific and identified needs. They do not breach any equality laws; in fact, specific guidance is provided in the Gender Equality Duty to support such services.
Nevertheless, problems remain and in July 2008, the UN Committee to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) called upon the Government to “ensure that the Gender Equality Duty is interpreted and applied properly so that women-only services and other activities of women’s organisations are not negatively affected”.
The Government and Local Authorities surely must adhere to this mandate from the UN, or risk finding themselves in breach of international and domestic equality legislation.

Signed by:
Professor Liz Kelly, Chair, End Violence Against Women Campaign (EVAW)
Holly Dustin, Campaign Manager, (EVAW)
Vivienne Hayes, Director, Women’s Resource Centre
IMKAAN
Newham Asian Women’s Project
Southall Black Sisters
Women's Aid
Dr Hilary Abrahams, Research Fellow, Violence against Women Group School for Policy Studies University of Bristol
Jo Aldridge, Loughborough University
Julie Chalder-Mills, Sheffiled University
Catherine Donovan PhD, Reader in Sociology, University of Sunderland
Dr Geetanjali Gangoli, Violence against Women Group School for Policy Studies University of Bristol
Dr Aisha Gill, Criminologist, Roehampton University/Newham Asian Women’s Project
Nicola Harwin CBE, Chief Executive, Women's Aid
Ms Nancy Lombard, Lecturer in Sociology Edinburgh Napier University
Professor Vanessa Munro, School of Law University of Nottingham
Dr Nicole Westmarland, School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham University
Dr Sue Griffiths, Senior Researcher, University of Sunderland
Dr Terry Gillespie, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Nottingham Trent University
Nesta Lloyd – Jones, Welsh Women's Aid
Dr Ellen Malos, Senior University Research Fellow, School for Policy Studies
University of Bristol
Dr Maggie O'Neill, Loughborough University
MACSAS - Minister & Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors
Professor Jill Radford, University of Teeside
Professor Paula Nicolson, Royal Holloway, University of London,
Carol Rivas, Research Fellow, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Dr Cathy Roberts
Ruth Swirsky, Principal Lecturer in Sociology, University of Westminster
Jo Todd, Chief Executive Officer, Respect
Dr Nicole Westmarland, School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham University
Karen Bailey, Greater London Domestic Violence Project