Women Members
The NASUWT organises a range of campaigns and activities to support women teachers. The National Women’s Advisory Committee has informed policy development on issues of concern to women members, including commissioning research on the pay and careers of women teachers and supporting campaigns on a range of issues including violence against women and the under-representation of women in the political arena.
Events for Women Members
The annual Women Teachers’ Consultation Conferences have proved to be highly successful. The 2011 conference took place on 2 October and attracted over 250 delegates. The theme was 'Women Working Together' and included sessions on personal safety, women's workplace rights, voice care and the implications of new education policies for women.
Next year's Women Teachers' Consultation Conference will take place on Saturday 29 September 2012 at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Birmingham.
The NASUWT provides a two-day development course for women members. The course looks at confidence building and how women can get more involved in the Union. The next course will take place at the Union's headquarters in Rednal, Birmingham on 2 May 2012. There will also be courses in the South East region on 19 May and the North West region on 29 May.
Social Networking
Have your say on issues affecting women teachers.
Useful links
The NASUWT is affiliated to a number of women's organisations including the Charter for Women, EAVES, Maternity Action, the White Ribbon Campaign, the National Council of Women and the National Alliance of Women's Organisations.
All the links below will open in new windows.
Centre for Women and Democracy
End Violence Against Women
The Fawcett Society
Feminist Fightback
Justice for Women
Maternity Action
Million Women Rise
National Alliance of Women's Organisations
National Assembly of Women
National Council of Women of Great Britain
Reclaim The Night
UK Feminista
Women's Resource Centre
White Ribbon Campaign
Women’s Parliamentary Radio
Womankind Worldwide
Women's Aid
Information and Publications
All the publications below open in a new window.
The Menopause - Health, Safety and Welfare Issues
Women Teachers’ Careers Research Report
NASUWT Working For Women Teachers (PDF 89KB)
Tackling Prejudice Related Bullying
Flexible Working
Maternity, paternity and adoption leave
News and Campaigns
Violence against Women
The NASUWT sponsored this year's Reclaim the Night march and rally. This year's march took place on Saturday 26 November 2011 in central London to demand an end to all forms of violence against women. Reclaim The Night (new window) gives women a voice and a chance to reclaim the streets at night on a safe and empowering event. The march gives women one night when they can feel safe to walk the streets of their own towns and cities.
The NASUWT also supports the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (PDF - 921KB) and affiliates to the White Ribbon Campaign (new window).
The NASUWT is supporting the campaign to get the government to sign the Council of Europe convention on combating and preventing violence against women and domestic violence. The Government’s refusal to sign the convention sends a signal that violence against women and girls is not a priority in the UK or abroad. Read more about the Convention and sign the petition (new window).
Sexualisation of women and young girls
Linked to the NASUWT's work on tackling violence against women is its work on tackling the sexualisation of young girls and women. The Union successfully submitted a motion on this issue to the 2010 TUC Women's Conference. The Union recently responded to the Bailey Review on the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood. Whilst welcoming the review the NASUWT had some concerns with the final report. Surprisingly the report did not mention the role of education in tackling sexualisation and also lacked any real gendered perspective about the objectification of girls and women. The NASUWT was one of the signatories to a letter to David Cameron expressing these concerns.
Women and leadership
Research commissioned by the NASUWT shows that many women teachers are denied access to important leadership positions in schools because of gender bias and discrimination.
The findings come in a major research report, No Job for a Woman? The Impact of Gender in School Leadership, carried out by the University of Manchester for the Union.
The research finds that women teachers who aspire to lead schools find their career ambitions thwarted by a ‘glass ceiling’, whilst those who do manage to secure leadership positions describe their experience as feeling like ‘skating on thin ice’, with their leadership qualities and professional authority questioned and challenged.
Further information can be downloaded below.
Women in Politics
The NASUWT has sponsored the book A Great Act of Justice: The Flapper Election and After published by the Centre for Women and Democracy. A Great Act of Justice has been published with the support of the NASUWT to commemorate the Flapper Election of 1929 - the first British general election to be held with universal suffrage. It also recalls pioneering women MPs, celebrates what they achieved and looks at how their work has shaped the world we live in today. The NASUWT is at the forefront of campaigns to increase women's involvement in the Union and the political arena. Copies of the book cost £9.99 and can be ordered from the Centre for Women and Democracy (new window).
