Opinion: What exactly is the Minister for Women and Equalities doing?

by Gaby Davies (@BinarySolo)

With unemployment at a 17 year record of 2.67 million, it's clear that the coalition government is failing in its plan to create more jobs, especially for the thousands of young people who are unable to find employment after leaving school or university. The fact that the government is trying to fund these problems with empty apprenticeships instead of taxing bankers' bonuses shows just how out of touch they really are. Long term youth unemployment doubled in the last year, and it's abundantly clear that unless the coalition government gives up on its Welfare to Work programme and starts to create real solutions, this generation will be scarred by joblessness.

However, it's the women of Britain who are being hit hardest by unemployment; they represent two-thirds of the increase and eighty per cent of the 710,000 public sector workers about to be made redundant. It was announced on Wednesday (15th February 2012) that female unemployment is at a 25 year high. Cuts are also having a huge impact on women, and the soaring price of childcare is often making it impossible for women to work.

Of course, with youth unemployment currently standing at 1.04 million, it's the young women who are really under pressure. Women who leave university with a reputable degree and the hope of entering the job market are finding that perhaps because of their lack of experience, employment is being offered to older women or men. In fact, women of a certain age can sometimes be sneakily passed up, as employers are concerned that they will soon require maternity leave, even though this is illegal.

The government must have realised that their cuts are affecting young women so badly, as David Cameron has urged departments to follow women-friendly policies. So why then is everything still so awful for women? The pay-gap looks set to widen, many women have to accept working part-time simply to stay in the employment market, and although, obviously, unemployment and cuts are affecting everyone, women are already the most vulnerable in terms of employment, and the government is doing nothing to ensure that they are not hit disproportionately hard. There are people in this government whose job it is to ensure equality. What's happening? Where (and I never thought I'd ask this) is Theresa May when you need her? Is she sitting at her desk munching Ferrero Roche and admiring her thousand pound shoes? She's certainly not doing her job as Minister for Women and Equalities.