Women's position in the economy is one of the topics addressed in the 
SW Women's Manifesto603 KB which leads us to ask the following questions of candidates for election to Leadership of political parties and others in power.
- What will your priorities be for women’s equality if/when you become Prime Minister?
- How do you expect your government tax and spending decisions to reduce women’s inequality in participation in the economy?
- Will you develop an all-encompassing strategy to reduce the gender pay gap?
- How will it address the following:
- Access to childcare of high quality and low cost local to where people live and/or work? Including the investment in childcare as infrastructure?
- Access to high paid jobs which are offered at flexible hours and without discrimination due to part time or reduced hours working?
- Improvement in advice and guidance on study and career choices which is free from stereotyping and bias, particularly at the key life choice moments at age 14 and when returning to work after a break.
- Regulation or banning of zero hours contracts and other insecure employment practices?
- The undervaluing of work traditionally done by women such as caring?
- The planning and transport decisions which affect accessibility of well paid jobs to those without access to private transport and/or who cannot travel far from caring responsibilities to work?
- The national minimum wage, currently not enough to live on, given the evidence which shows that the current ‘national living wage’ is well below both the Living Wage promoted by the Living Wage Foundation and the Minimum Income Standard promoted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation?
- The poor access of women to legal remedy in cases of discrimination and unequal pay?
- Will you ensure that those who need support to make ends meet will get it?
- How will you ensure the following:
- In-work tax credits and universal credit reach the main carer in a relationship, given the evidence that this is not always the main tax payer?
- The social security payments to both those unable to work and those in low pay work meet the Minimum Income Standard promoted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation?
- How will you address the growing need for professional care for the infirm elderly, and the long term sick or disabled? And how will you ensure that informal carers are given adequate support, both financially and socially?
See PDF Version 633.18 KB on the ellimination of the gender pay gap (Longworth 2016).
See also Women's Budget Group.
