Page 15 - BPW UK ANNUAL REVIEW 2021-2022 - PART I

Since the new structure was adopted at last year’s AGM, the group has been formed and
active for just seven months. In that time we have established ourselves as a group, revising the
Terms of Reference, from the Action Working Group. Our BPW UK Mandate document has been up-
dated and reformatted and we have spent time considering if any action should be taken from the
Mandate. We have also produced an Advocacy Web Page for the new BPW website and published
an article about the work of the group in BPW E-News.

From a campaign perspective, we have looked into a campaign for the Gender Pay Gap but
the group decided that its main priority should be focussed on Violence Against Women and Girls
given the recent growth of incidents. Using the EU Directive for Violence Against Women and Girls
sent to us by BPW Europe as a comparator, we are currently reviewing the legal and support provi-
sion in the UK so that we can decide which areas would warrant a campaign to provide or improve
provision of support within the UK. We are also mindful of the variations that may occur within
the devolved governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland which may require us to carry out a
campaign to redress any differences.

On a personal note, I have been very heartened to see how our new structure has been
working and how we are developing as an organisation. As our working groups become more ac-
tive, the support of the Advocacy Group will be needed more. As well as engaging our members
and attracting new members, it is the campaigning element of our work which will raise the pro-
file of BPW UK by demonstrating how our efforts improve the lives of women and girls, not just in
the UK, but internationally as well.

Elizabeth I Jowett

Vice President Advocacy

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