Women's organisations across the sector have united to sign a joint call for women and girls in all their diversity to be visible, heard and have their needs met during the Coronavirus crisis response.

Our statement has over 50 signatures so far, including:

• Sam Smethers - Chief Executive, The Fawcett Society
• Adina Claire - Acting Co-Chief Executive, Women's Aid
• Baljit Banga - Executive Director, Imkaan
• Caroline Criado Perez - award-winning writer and campaigner
• Faeeza Vaid MBE - Executive Director, Muslim Women’s Network UK
• Pip Eldridge - Interim Director at Times Up UK
• Pragna Patel - Director, Southall Black Sisters
• Mandu Reid - Leader of the Women’s Equality Party
• Dr. Mary-Ann Stephenson - Director, UK Women’s Budget Group
• Natasha Walter and Marchu Girma - Directors, Women for Refugee Women
• Sophie Walker - Chief Executive at Young Women's Trust.

Joint statement

"The Coronavirus pandemic is exceptionally difficult for everyone and is having a huge impact on all our lives. So far, women and girls in the UK have been largely invisible from the debate and excluded from decision-making. Now schools and nurseries have closed their doors it will be women who take on most of the unpaid care work, reducing their hours or giving up paid work, turning the clock back on gender equality. Many women are on the frontline, delivering essential services, usually the lowest paid or in insecure work. Many women will be trapped in their homes, self-isolating with an abusive partner. It's women who are also more likely to care for older or disabled relatives and neighbours. Yet hundreds of billions of pounds of taxpayers' money is being spent without considering the specific challenges women are facing. ​Women and girls in all their diversity must be seen, have their voices heard and their needs met."

Full list of signatories:

1. Adina Claire - Acting Co-Chief Executive, Women's Aid Federation of England
2. Adrienne Darragh - Chief Executive, Hibiscus Initiatives
3. Angela Everson - CEO, WomenCentre
4. Anna Herrmann - Joint Artistic Director, Clean Break
5. Anne Mc Vicker - Director, Women’s Resource & Development Agency-WRDA
6. Anthea Sully - Chief Executive, White Ribbon UK
7. Baljit Banga - Executive Director, Imkaan
8. Caroline Criado Perez - award-winning writer and campaigner
9. Catherine Anderson - CEO, The Jo Cox Foundation
10. Catherine Fookes - Director, Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales
11. Cerys Furlong - Chief Executive, Chwarae Teg
12. Clare Murphy - Director of External Affairs, British Pregnancy Advisory Service
13. Dr Emily Wilson - CEO, Irise International
14. Faeeza Vaid MBE - Executive Director, Muslim Women’s Network UK
15. Fiona Dwyer - Chief Executive, Solace Women's Aid
16. Gabriela Quevedo - Director, Latin American Women’s Aid (LAWA)
17. Gen Milvain - Manager, Gateway Women's Centre
18. Gisela Valle - Director, Latin American Women’s Rights Service
19. Hannah Shead - Chief Executive Office, Trevi House
20. Harriet Wistrich - Director, Centre for Women’s Justice
21. Helen Pankhurst - Convenor, Centenary Action Group
22. Helen Wollaston - Chief Executive, WISE
23. Hera Hussain - Founder, CHAYN
24. Iman Atta - Director, Tell MAMA
25. Iman Atta - Director, Faith Matters
26. Jane van Zyl - Chief Executive, Working Families
27. Jemima Olchawski - Chief Executive, Agenda
28. Jo Todd - Chief Executive, Respect UK
29. Joeli Brearley, - Founder, Pregnant Then Screwed
30. Julie Budge - Founder / CEO, My Sisters' House C.I.O
31. Kate Metcalf - Co-Director, Women's Environment Network
32. Dr Kate Paradine - Chief Executive, Women in Prison
33. Laura Seebohm - Executive Director, Changing Lives
34. Laurie Lee - CEO, CARE International UK
35. Lee Chalmers - Founder, Director, The Parliament Project
36. Lesley Abdela - Expert on women's rights and political participation
37. Lisa Dando FRSA - Director, Brighton Women's Centre
38. Lisa-Marie Taylor - CEO, FiLiA
39. Maggie Parks OBE - Chief Executive, The Women’s Centre Cornwall
40. Mandu Reid - Leader, Women’s Equality Party
41. Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson - Director, UK Women’s Budget Group
42. Matt Home - Director, Willowdene Rehabilitation
43. Natasha Walter and Marchu Girma - Directors, Women for Refugee Women
44. Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs - CEO, Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA)
45. Niki Scordi - Chief Executive, Advance Charity
46. Nikki Guy - Centre Manager, Stockport Women’s Centre
47. Paul Carbury - CEO, Smallwood Trust
48. Pip Eldridge - Interim Director, TIME’S UP UK
49. Pragna Patel - Director, Southall Black Sisters
50. Professor Sophie Harman - Queen Mary University of London
51. Rachel Adamson and Laura Tomson - Co-Directors, Zero Tolerance Scotland
52. Rokaiya Khan - CEO, Together Women
53. Rosalind Bragg - Director, Maternity Action UK
54. Rose Caldwell - CEO, Plan International UK
55. Sam Smethers - Chief Executive, The Fawcett Society
56. Sarah Tomlin - Equal Power Coordinator, 50:50 Parliament
57. Seyi Newell - Director of External Affairs, ROSA
58. Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu - Lawyer, Political & Women's Rights Activist
59. Sneh Jani-Patel & Olivia Head - Co-Founders, Bread and Roses
60. Sophia Benedict - Women's Services Manager, Southwark and Lewisham Women's Hubs, Pecan
61. Sophie Walker - Chief Executive, Young Women's Trust
62. Stacy Smith - Chief Executive Officer, Her Centre
63. Suzanne Jacob - CEO, SafeLives
64. Vanessa Pine - Co-Founder, Activate Collective
    
    
    

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