WATCH NOW: Struggling to survive - women, work and welfare

On Tuesday 28 April, we continued our #CoronaConversations online event series.

Alongside a panel of experts, our CEO Sam Smethers chaired a conversation about how women are more likely to be in low paid and insecure work, and how existing inequalities, especially for BAME women, mean that they are being disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

We'd like to say a big thank you to our fantastic panellists and brilliant audience for making it such an informative and inspiring evening.

You can watch the recording and read more about the panellists below.

Watch the recording

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SPEAKERS

SAM SMETHERS (CHAIR)
CEO, THE FAWCETT SOCIETY

Sam joined Fawcett in August 2015 as Chief Executive. Prior to Fawcett, she was the Chief Executive of Grandparents Plus for over six years. Sam is no stranger to equalities and gender issues having worked for both the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Equalities and Human Rights Commission. She also served as a Fawcett trustee between 2007 and 2010, was a trustee of Gingerbread for seven years and has nine years’ experience working in Parliament. Sam is passionate about equal representation, valuing and sharing care and closing the gender pay gap.

ABENA OPPONG-ASARE 
MP FOR ERITH & THAMESMEAD
PPS TO ANNELISE DODDS MP, SHADOW CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

As part of the shadow treasury team Abena has been assisting in developing Labour's economic policies and holding the Government to account over financial inequalities in the face of coronavirus. Abena is also a member of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee and has been examining the impact of coronavirus on the homeless and private renters. As Chair of the Labour Women's Network, Abena has been active in improving female representation in leadership positions and has been vocal about the inequalities facing women today and, throughout history.

FAHMIDA RAHMAN
RESEARCH & POLICY ANALYST, RESOLUTION FOUNDATION

Fahmida is a Research and Policy Analyst at the Resolution Foundation where her work focuses on incomes and inequality. She takes a keen interest in structural and intersectional inequalities relating to race, gender and social class, among others, and has written extensively on these topics. Prior to joining the Resolution Foundation, she worked as a civil servant in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office.

KATIE WOOD
SENIOR LEGAL OFFICER, MATERNITY ACTION

Maternity Action is the UK’s maternity rights charity dedicated to promoting, protecting and enhancing the rights of all pregnant women, new mothers and their families to employment, social security and health care. Maternity Action campaigns to challenge pregnancy discrimination at work, strengthen redundancy protections for new mothers, improve support for asylum seeking women and to ensure access to maternity care for vulnerable migrant women. Katie is a barrister with over 20 years' experience advising on pregnancy, maternity and sex discrimination in the workplace and runs Maternity Action's free legal advice line. 

 

HANNAH WILLIAMS
WOMEN'S OFFICER, THE INDEPENDENT WORKERS UNION of GREAT BRITAIN (IWGB)

Hannah was recently elected Women’s & Non-Binary officer of the IWGB Couriers and Logistics Branch. She works as a courier day to day in the North East. She aims to be a voice for female and non binary workers and to break down barriers and stereotypes which may prevent women from achieving what they want in the workplace. She suffers with chronic illness/disabilities and has been an advocate for others with disabilities, as well as setting up support groups for those in need. 

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