Yvette Cooper reveals five point plan to tackle gender inequality

Yvette Cooper will today say she wants to put “feminist and egalitarian principles” at the heart of society, as she unveils a five point plan for women’s equality. Speaking this evening, Cooper will say she is “proud to be a feminist”, and lay out the policies she wants to introduce to improve women’s lives – including a new Equalities Act.

The five points are:

• Introduce a new Equalities Act giving the Equality and Human Rights Commission real teeth and introduce new Commissioners to drive equality in specific areas. It should also ensure our equal pay laws are fit for the 21^st Century too, and look at positive discrimination in areas such as the judiciary or executive boards where there are still too few women
• Champion a revolution in childcare with free universal childcare for 2, 3 and 4 year olds and higher levels of financial support for families with younger children
• Campaign for a proper Living Wage – rather than George Osborne’s con. This should start in social care – a sector dominated by women paid the minimum wage – and be rolled out across the public and private sector
• Support compulsory sex and relationship education in all schools to combat rising violence in teenage relationships
• Introduce protest-free buffer zones around abortion clinics so women don’t face intimidation or harassment when accessing healthcare advice or services

At a speech in central London, Cooper will say:

“David Cameron won’t use the f-word. I will. I always have. I’m proud to be feminist. And I want Labour to be championing women’s equality again for the future.

And for me, feminism is about equality for all. It’s not about expecting women to change and live men’s lives. Nor is it about excluding men, or dividing women from each other. My feminism will always be inclusive, positive, and about all of us not just some.

It’s about changing our economy and society completely, so that both women and men have greater equality, greater opportunity and greater freedom. Putting family at the heart of our economy too – something we’ve never done before.

I know I’ve had more chances in life than my mum and my grandma because of Labour’s campaign for equality. But I fear the Tories are turning the clock back for our daughters. Women are being hit many times harder than men by Tory policies, even though they still earn less and own less than men. The pressure on young girls and boys growing up to behave in particular gendered ways seems to have become greater. And in the end all this is bad news for our sons too.

So we need a much stronger radical vision of the future. Let’s put feminist and egalitarian principles at the heart of our economy and society, instead of treating them as an add on. That’s why I am launching this 5 point Equalities Plan today amongst so many women of the Labour movement.”