Equality Starts at Home

On Day 24 of ESAH #advent24 we celebrate all those who joined us this year, engaging on our #sharethecare message for greater equality in the home space. Our call to action grows each year thanks to the energy of our friends and support - we can't do it without you! Bring on 2025 and a chance to deepen impact further for gender equality. However you celebrate, have a wonderful festive break from us x Clare Twelvetrees Delia Lazaroiu Sophia Prusa Claire Thomas Frances Goodrum Helen Unwin ACC K. Venise Vinegar Prof Jackie Carter Rachel A. Jago Brown Drake Peabody Sarah Painter Rita Kakati-Shah Lesley Macniven Karla Vanessa Silva

On day 23 of the ESAH #advent2024 we highlight the brilliant work of #INGOs who work to raise visibility of unpaid care. Sharing here a report by the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and CARE International UK Care and domestic work are vital to our economies and societies. It is estimated that unpaid care work adds $10.8 trillion USD to the global economy each year, equivalent to 9% of global GDP. This work is disproportionately carried out by women and girls. Below are five ways to build caring economies: Recognition, Reduction, Redistribution, Representation and Reward of unpaid care. https://lnkd.in/eV4emnVd

On day 22 of the ESAH #advent2024 We highlight Australia’s passing of the #righttodisconnect law. A survey published last year estimated that Australians worked on average 281 hours of unpaid overtime annually. More than 20 countries, mainly in Europe and Latin America, have similar rules. "Any organisation that has staff who have better rest and who have better work-life-balance are going to have staff who are less likely to have sick days, less likely to leave the organisation", said John Hopkins from Swinburne University of Technology. The photo says it all. Being able to disconnect from work helps to be more present and connected in the the home. https://lnkd.in/eFQVpRjf

On the 21st day of the ESAH #advent2024 we highlight the bravery of Gisele Pelicot. The 72-year-old has become a global feminist icon, after waiving her right to anonymity as a sexual assault victim, to demand "shame change sides", from the victim to the rapist. ESAH stands in solidarity with victims of #genderbasedviolence and the many individuals and organisations working to combat it. https://lnkd.in/eAPemyAf

On day 20 of the ESAH #advent2024 we celebrate the amazing work of the The Female Lead who empower women through stories and science. Again highlighting the importance of fathers sharing bringing up children. An interesting statistic: research that found that when fathers are able to take parental leave flexibly in Sweden, prescriptions for antidepressants and antibiotics for new mothers went down. Men need to take more time off and we need cheaper childcare. https://lnkd.in/erp2m6EU

On day 19 of ESAH #advent24 we spotlight #sdg5 and UN Women, recognising the value of unpaid care and domestic work. Through increased provision of social protection policies, public services and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and family in a nationally appropriate way, we inch closer to attaining the ambitious #sustainabledevelopment targets and #genderequality. It all starts with conversation - from the corridors of the UN to those with the power to act at local level in member states. https://lnkd.in/ezpSUPK4

Day 18 of our #Advent2024 posts and today we’re supporting the Dear Wes campaign as part of Delivering Better, focused on improving maternity services across the UK. With 1 in 4 women experiencing traumatic birth and black women still more likely to die during childbirth than white women, we welcome all work to improve services in such a crucial area. https://lnkd.in/e8etK9yJ

On day 17 of the ESAH #advent2024 we are highlighting the great work of Eve Rodsky and the The Fair Play Policy Institute - see below a recent domestic workload study linking excessive mental load and poor mental health.

On Day 16 of #advent2024 and we're celebrating the recent equal pay agreement that was reached with Birmingham City Council. This is a pivotal step towards gender equality, as the council agrees to address long-standing equal pay claims. This milestone highlights the ongoing fight to uphold the principles of the Equal Pay Act, which has been in place for over 50 years but still demands persistent efforts to fully deliver on its promise of fairness. This agreement is not only a victory for individuals-it's a powerful reminder of why we must continue pushing for gender equality. While this is a huge step forward, the journey is far from over. Equality goes beyond just being an idea-it's about recognising the value of every individual's contribution- at work, at home, and in every space. Let's keep striving for a society where equality isn't just an ideal-it's the norm. #EqualPay #GenderEquality #BirminghamCityCouncil https://lnkd.in/e-2UVeVE

On day 15 of ESAH #advent2024 and on the 10th anniversary of #sharedparentalleave in Britain - we highlight that it is not working. Take up is about 2% and disproportionately amongst higher earners. Shared parental leave was introduced 10 years ago this week with the aim of allowing dads to play a more prominent role in fatherhood. Introduced by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, shared parental leave is a state-funded scheme that allows parents to share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay after the birth or adoption of a child. It was used in fewer than 2% of all births last year. And just 5% of those who took up shared parental leave came from the bottom 50% of earners ESAH calls for a re-think of the model and supports organisations like the The Fatherhood Institute who are campaigning for UK fathers to have the right to six weeks’ well-paid leave in their baby’s first year, as a minimum. https://lnkd.in/eDwmfD4K