The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Sex Equality is a cross-party group of MPs and peers, and provides a forum for discussing sex equality and associated issues. The Fawcett Society runs the APPG on behalf of the officers and members.

Current Officers:

• Jess Phillips MP: Co-Chair
• Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP:Co-Chair
• Baroness Brinton: Vice-Chair
• Sir Peter Bottomley MP: Officer
• Baroness Jenkin of Kennington: Officer
• Helen Whately MP: Officer
• Debbie Abrahams MP: Officer
• Sarah Champion MP: Officer
• Sir Bernard Jenkin MP: Officer
• Baroness Howe of Idlicote: Officer
• Baroness Gale: Officer
• Bambos Charalambous MP: Officer
• Baroness Hussein-Ece: Officer
• Baroness Grey-Thompson: Officer
• Alison Thewliss MP: Officer

The next meeting of the APPG on Sex Equality is due to take place in May 2019.

About our latest meeting

Tackling bullying and harassment in film and sport

25th March 2019: The APPG on Sex Equality held a panel session on the topic of bullying and harassment in film and sport. Last year the BFI in partnership with BAFTA developed a new set of principles and zero-tolerance guidance with organisations across the film, television and games industries in response to urgent and systemic issues as highlighted by the TIME'S UP movement. The widespread nature of gender-based violence in sport was was also brought to light with researchers calling for urgent action to be taken up by sporting bodies. This session was chaired by Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP, co-chair of the APPG on Sex Equality and speakers included Jess Phillips MP, co-chair of the APPG on Sex Equality, Jennifer Smith, Head of Inclusion at the BFI, Ade Rawcliffe, TIME'S UP UK Director and Professor Elizabeth Pike, Head of Sport, Health and Exercise at the University of Hertfordshire. Download Minutes here.

Previous meetings

Date	Title	Summary
8th January 2019	Sexual harassment at work: reinstating section 40	This meeting was intended to galvanise support for reinstating section 40 of the Equality Act 2010 which rendered employers liable to employees if they were subjected to harassment by third parties and was repealsed in 2013 due to the 'red tape' challenge. Panellists and attendees discussed the calls for this to be reversed, particularly in the wake of the Presidents Club scandal.
11th June 2018	Getting Women In: how to increase women's representation in politics	This meeting was intended to discuss the current situation when it came to women's representation in politics, both in Parliament and local government, as well as devolved regions such as the West Midlands and Greater Manchester. Panellists then discussed barriers to increasing women's representation such as online abuse and an inhospitable work environment.
24th January 2018	Sexual Harassment and assault: where do we go from here?	This meeting was intended to galvanise support to take action to address the issue of sexual harassment, and focused on what cultural, political and legal changes are needed to take place to end sexual harassment in politics. Attendees also discussed the barriers to these changes, and addressed how best victims can be supported and encouraged to speak out.
10th October 2017	Intersecting inequalities and invisible women	The APPG on Sex Equality and APPG on Race and Community held a joint event attended by parliamentarians and key stakeholders. Panellists discussed the report launched by Women’s Budget Group and Runnymede Trust on the impact of austerity on BME women.
13th September 2017	AGM and the impact of leaving the EU on women’s rights and gender equality	The APPG on Sex Equality was relaunched following its inaugural AGM of this Parliament. The APPG hosted a panel session where Clare Collier, human rights and equality lawyer at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Rachel Crasnow QC, and Sam Smethers, Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society discussed the potential impact of leaving the European Union on women’s rights and gender equality from a legal perspective.
18th October 2016	Experience of employment	The APPG on Sex Equality hosted a meeting exploring the experiences of women in work, looking through the lens of race and faith.
9th June 2016	Counting every woman	The APPG on Sex Equality hosted an evidence panel from David Freeman of the ONS, Dr Marc Verlot of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and Chris Payne of the ONS, and discussed problems that parliamentarians and policy makers face when trying to gather data on women’s issues, particularly those marginalized by multiple kinds of disadvantage.
3rd February 2016	State of the Nation	The APPG on Sex Equality presented a review of the recent research showing how whilst attitudes to sex equality amongst the population are broadly positive, younger men and women are increasingly pessimistic that they will be able to overcome the gendered challenges they expect to face. The meeting concluded with the launch of an inquiry into Invisible Women – women who fall under the radar of the public

Previous reports

Invisible Women

Over the course of 2016-17, the APPG on Sex Equality focussed its work on understanding what can be done by Government to take a more effective approach to understanding the discrimination, inequality, and exclusion that too many women in the UK continue to face - especially when it comes to accessing work.

Factors such as race, faith, ethnicity, age, disability, sexuality, location, and employment status can combine with gender to create distinct and particularly troubling experiences of discrimination and inequality - but this intersectionality is still largely being overlooked.

Follow this link to access the report.

For more information please email [email protected]