Monday, March 30, 2009
Greens bid for blue plaque for women’s rights campaigner
Green Councillors are asking Brighton & Hove City Council to erect a blue plaque on Brighton Town Hall in memory of local resident and women’s rights campaigner Millicent Fawcett. Greens are also asking the council to sign up to the 'Fawcett Charter', a coalition of leading employers committed to ensuring women at work are treated equally. The Charter outlines key principles around ensuring equality in the workplace, such as promoting an inclusive work environment, and was launched last year by the Fawcett Society, the UK’s leading organisation promoting equality for women.
The Fawcett Society is named after Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett, a leading light in the peaceful campaign to give women the vote and wife and secretary to Henry Fawcett, MP for Brightonfrom1865 to 1874.
Green Group Deputy Convenor Cllr Amy Kennedy said:
“Millicent Fawcett led the way when it came to fighting peacefully for women’s rights, and played a vital role in Brighton’s fortunes while her husband was MP. A blue plaque to commemorate her memory would reflect the important part she played in the history of the city.
“We believe that signing up to the principles of equality laid out in the Fawcett Charter will help protect women’s rights at work. This is especially important during the economic crisis - women face a higher risk of unemployment during the recession than men.
"As one of the city’s largest employers, Brighton & Hove City Council already has a clear commitment to tacking inequalities in the workplace, but joining the Fawcett Charter would send a clear message: sexism in the work place isn’t ok.”
For more information view:
www.lgbtgreens.org.uk
