Cross-Party Group Women

Annual Report

November 2023

Overview

The Cross-Party Group on Women exits to promote stronger protection of women’s rights. Siân Gwenllian MS chairs of the group. WEN Wales offers secretarial support. In 2023, the group has convened four times: 17 March 2023, 9 June 2023, 14 July 2023, and 22 September 2023. A fifth meeting is planned for 24 November 2023 (jointly with the Cross-Party Group on Violence against Women and Children). All meetings were held online via Zoom.

The group has used these meetings to focus on a number of issues, including: women’s experience in the criminal justice system, the experience of women who are unpaid carers, and gender equality and the budget. The group also worked closely with the Women in Europe (Wales) network, which became part of the Cross-Party Group on Women from July 2019 and continue to provide regular updates to the group.

Attendance at the meetings over the year has been made up of political representatives, third sector organisations working to end discrimination against women, individuals and academics interested in gender equality and members of Senedd support staff.

1.       Group membership and office holders

Office holders:

·         Siân Gwenllian MS (Chair)

·         Jessica Laimann, WEN Wales (secretary)

Additional members:

·         Jane Dodds MS

·         Heledd Fychan MS

·         Delyth Jewell MS

·         Rt. Hon. Elin Jones MS

·         Sarah Murphy MS

·         Carolyn Thomas MS

·         Joyce Watson MS

·         Sioned Williams MS

·         Patience Bentu – Office of the Future Generations Commissioner

·         Jess Blair - Electoral Reform Society Cymru

·         Natasha Davies - Chwarae Teg

·         Catherine Fookes – WEN Wales

·         Davina-Louise Green - Stonewall Cymru

·         Ele Hicks - Diverse Cymru

·         Leigh Ingham - Plan International UK

·         Sara Kirkpatrick - Welsh Women’s Aid

·         San Leonard - Social Firms Wales

·         Professor Laura McAllister - Wales Governance Centre, Cardiff University

·         Nancy Lidubwi- BAWSO

·         Dr Rachel Minto - Cardiff University

·         Rayner Rees - Soroptimists

·         Debbie Shaffer - Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales

·         Abi Thomas - Plaid Cymru

·         Megan Thomas - Disability Wales

·         Hade Turkmen – Oxfam Cymru

·         Nkechi Dawson – Race Council Cymru

 

2.       Previous Group Meetings

 

Meeting 1

Topic: Women and the justice system

Date: 17 March 2023

Attendees:

Sian Gwenllian MS, Rhianon Bragg (Speaker), Joanne Starbuck, Cardiff Women’s Aid, Sarah Thomas, New Pathways, Jackie Jones, Women in Europe (Wales), Jane Fenton-May, Wales Assembly of Women,

Nancy Lidubwi, Bawso, Leila Usmani, Race Alliance Wales, Carwen Wynne Howells, Leanne Waring, CAVC, Emma Hall, Chwarae Teg, Bethan Sayed, Climate Cymru, Allie Iftikhar, Welsh Women’s Aid, Tomos Evans, Chwarae Teg, Megan Thomas, Disability Wales, Christina Tanti, Race Equality First,

Alison Parken, Cardiff Business School, Carol Harris, Hafan Cymru, Jessica Laimann, WEN Wales, Sioned Williams, WEN Wales, Joy Matibiri, WEN Wales

 

Summary of issues discussed: Rhianon Bragg, a domestic abuse survivor, shared her experience on how she was let down by the justice system in Wales. Jackie Jones provided a number of updates on gender and the EU / Europe.

 

Meeting 2

 

Topic: Women and unpaid care

Date: 9 June 2023

Attendees: Sian Gwenllian MS (Chair), Jane Dodds MS, Sioned Williams MS, Claire Morgan, Carers Wales (Speaker), Abi Thomas, Plaid Cymru, Alison Parken, Cardiff Business School, Jane Fenton-May, Wales Assembly of Women, Carwen Wynne Howells, Soroptimist International Wales South, Chris Dunn, Diverse Cymru, Christina Tanti, Race Equality First, Debbie Shaffer, FTWW, Megan Thomas, Disability Wales, Katy Styles, We Care Campaign, Patience Bentu, Office of the Future Generations Commissioner, Beca Roberts, Office of Sian Gwenllian MS, Sarah Thomas, NFWI, Stephanie Grimshaw, Welsh Women’s Aid, Tanya Harrington, Stonewall Cymru, Tomos Evans, Chwarae Teg, Sophie Weeks, Hade Turkmen, Oxfam Cymru, Rhianydd Williams, TUC Cymru, Kirsty Rees, Jessica Laimann, WEN Wales

Summary of issues discussed: Claire Morgan, Director of Carers Wales, gave an overview of the situation of unpaid carers in Wales.

 

Meeting 3

 

Topic: Women and the justice system

Date: 14 July 2023

Attendees: Sian Gwenllian MS, Jane Hutt MS (Speaker), Jane Dodds MS, Sioned Williams MS, Dr Robert Jones, Cardiff University (Speaker), Leah Reed, Cardiff University (Speaker), Dr Rachel Minto, Cardiff University (Speaker), Dr Jo Roberts, University of South Wales, Abi Thomas, Plaid Cymru, Alison Parken, Cardiff Business School, Jane Fenton-May, Wales Assembly of Women, Chris Dunn, Diverse Cymru, Megan Thomas, Disability Wales, Sarah Thomas, NFWI, Stephanie Grimshaw, Welsh Women’s Aid, Tanya Harrington, Stonewall Cymru, Tomos Evans, Chwarae Teg, Hade Turkmen, Oxfam Cymru, Rhianydd Williams, TUC Cymru, Rhianon Bragg, Wanjiku Mbugua-Ngotho, Bawso, Dr Larissa Peixoto, Cardiff University, Leanne Waring, Cardiff and Vale College, Kirsty Hudson, Gary Haggaty, Welsh Government, Sarah Evans, Welsh Government, Simon Borja, Safer Wales, Ioan Bellin, Plaid Cymru, Andrew Misell, Alcohol Change UK, Merisha Weeks, Welsh Government, Emma Henwood, Sports Wales, Will Davies, Senedd, Steffan Bryn, Welsh Government, Hannah King, Vera Baird, Catherine Brannigan, Waterloo Foundation, Megan Evans, WEN Wales, Jessica Laimann, WEN Wales

Summary of issues discussed: Dr Robert Jones and Leah Reed gave a presentation on women’s experience in the justice system, with a specific focus on imprisonment and the context of devolution in Wales. The Minister for Social Justice responded to the presentation. Dr Rachel Minto provided a number of updates on gender and the EU / Europe.

 

Meeting 4

 

Topic: Gender equality and the budget

Date: 22 September 2023

Attendees:

Sian Gwenllian MS (Chair), Carolyn Thomas MS, Sioned Williams MS, Claire Thomas, Senedd Research (Speaker), Dr Rachel Minto, Cardiff University (Speaker), Sarah Thomas, NFWI, Patience Bentu, Office of the Future Generations Commissioner, Imogen Hopkins, Office of the Future Generations Commissioner, Brandon Renard, Office of Sarah Murphy MS, Jen Ramsay, Office of Paul Davies MS, Owen Thomas, Office of John Griffiths MS, Abi Thomas, Plaid Cymru, Jane Fenton-May, Wales Assembly of Women, Ele Hicks, Diverse Cymru, Megan Thomas, Disability Wales, Aliya Iftikhar, Welsh Women’s Aid, Tanya Harrington, Stonewall Cymru, Sarah Rees, Oxfam Cymru, Hade Turkmen, Oxfam Cymru, Dr Larissa Peixoto, Cardiff University, Megan Evans, WEN Wales, Jessica Laimann, WEN Wales

Summary of issues discussed:

The meeting discussed the recent announcement of the closure of Chwarae Teg and its implications for women in Wales. Claire Thomas (Senedd Research) gave an overview of the budgetary process and opportunities for the women’s and equality sector to engage with the process. Dr Rachel Minto provided a number of updates on gender and the EU / Europe.

 

 

3.       Professional lobbyists, voluntary organisations and charities with whom the Group has met during the preceding year

As above.

4.       Annual Financial Statement

 

Date: 1 November 2023

Cross Party Group on Women

Chair: Siân Gwenllian MS

Secretary: Jessica Laimann, WEN Wales

Group’s Expenses

None

£0.00

Costs of all goods

No goods purchased

£0.00

Benefits received by the group or individual Members from outside bodies.

No benefits received

£0.00

Any secretariat or other support

No financial support received

£0.00

Total cost

£0.00