A message from Gordon Brown on International Women’s Day

From @LabourList

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Today, on International Women’s Day, we have the chance to recognise the achievements of Britain’s women and to reflect on how far we’ve travelled together along the road to equality.

Throughout this month we will be highlighting lots of what we’re doing on gender justice through a special section on the Number 10 website. You can see some of what’s up already – everything from an interview where I talk about my earliest female hero, my amazing Mum, to Sarah’s work supporting women here and around the world.

Today I’ve already made two announcements that I hope will make a big difference to women’s lives. The first was at a Downing Street breakfast with some of our leading women from the business community.

We all recognise the value of strong role models for women in all walks of life – and there are many in politics, the arts, our public services and sport. But there are too few in Britain’s boardrooms. So under proposals I announced this morning, companies may have to report on their progress to get more women into the boardroom.

But on International Women’s Day, we also have a duty to think beyond national borders, and so I’m pleased that my second announcement is about women’s empowerment around the globe. Girls and women still suffer unimaginable atrocities and around 100 million are ‘missing’ from the world’s population. So I have asked Glenys Kinnock to lead the UK government’s work on international violence against women – something I spoke about today with Marie Claire.

We still have a lot to do to ensure equality, but it’s also important to remember just how much progress we have made together over the last decade. In my latest podcast I talk about just some of what’s been achieved: better maternity pay, paternity leave, record survival rates for breast cancer and real support to family finances with the Child Trust Fund; tax credits; record child benefit; the minimum wage and free early years support in more than 3,000 Sure Start centres.

We’ll be adding new material to the site throughout March so make sure you add it to your favourites and keep up with what’s happening.

Best wishes for International Women’s Day.

Gordon Brown