Dear Angie,
I
believe you can run women's only events if they are part of a Women's Network or
part of your Positive Action Strategy to give women the confidence to apply
for senior posts. You can use information from your Gender Equality
Scheme as a basis for setting up a positive action initiative if women are
under-represented in senior and other structures within your institution. I
spoke to the Equal Opportunities commission a while a go about Women's Networks
and whether they could be challenged by men. They informed me that
if (Women or Men’s Networks) are not
for profit organisations and have clear terms of reference, they cannot be
legally challenged. You would have to rely on the provisions of section 34 of the SDA and set up a voluntary
body falling within it.
Regards
Anne
Dear All
One of the training providers we are using for the
Investing in Women project - Karen Skidmore, the owner of CanDoCanBe - runs
networks for women (run by women for women). She has turned to me with a
question what she is supposed to say to a man, if one wanted to attend one of
her events.
I would appreciate your thoughts on the matter and
have you any experience within your HEI.
Many thanks
Angie
Angie
Cousins
HR Manager, Equality &
Diversity
University
of Surrey Guildford, Surrey, GU2
7XH,
UK
Tel: +44 (0)1483 689189
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http://portal.surrey.ac.uk/humanresources/structure/equal