Organisations across the UK have come together to join the #FaceHerFuture campaign.
The aim of the campaign is protecting women’s rights after Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.
Led by the Fawcett Society, the Face Her Future campaign is demanding that current rights are not weakened either directly or indirectly as a result of the Brexit negotiations.
The campaign is also calling for women to be represented at every level of the negotiation process, arguing that the three cabinet members responsible for Brexit are all men. They are also aiming for a gender impact assessment of major spending decisions; a strategy to end violence against women and girls; action to tackle racist abuse and hate crimes; and for migrant workers from the EU who are already in Britain to remain.
Face Her Future argue that EU regulations and cases won in the European Court have given women in the UK the right to equal pay for equal value, maternity rights, part-time workers’ rights, pension entitlements and parental leave rights. International co-operation across the EU has tackled female genital mutilation, human trafficking and developed strategies to combat violence against women.
Currently, ten organisations have signed to be a part of the campaign including Girlguiding UK; Maternity Action; Rights of Women; Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS); British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS); and Women’s Aid, amongst others.
Sam Smethers, Fawcett Chief Executive said, “Brexit presents us with the opportunity to achieve a step change in women’s lives. We have to deliver a better future for women in the UK not turn the clock back. As a first step government must guarantee that there will be no weakening of women’s rights either directly or indirectly.”
“We have come together to form the ‘Face Her Future’ campaign to present a positive vision of what our society could be like. We want to make the UK the best place to be a woman. If we can no longer look to Europe to progress women’s rights then we must do it for ourselves.”
