Issue 56: November 2020
Dear Member, Welcome to the NFWI Public Affairs Digest, an e-update on all the latest WI campaigning news, delivered directly to your inbox. If you know anyone in your WI who is interested in our campaigns, please direct them to the campaigns area of MyWI to sign up to receive this Public Affairs Digest.
Contents:
Resolution Shortlist Resources
Get ready for the 16 Days of Action to end violence against women
Watch David Attenborough's 'A Life On Our Planet'
Take part in Equal Pay Day 20th November
Help spread the word on food waste
An update on the Environment and Plastic bills
The main priority for the NFWI is the safety and wellbeing of our members. If you haven't already, please visit this link for the latest, up to date government guidelines.
See more information about support at the end of this Digest.
The 2020/21 resolution shortlist is now ready!
After receiving a huge amount of great resolutions from WIs, member delegates and federation representatives completed the hard work of narrowing them down to a shortlist at the October Resolution Shortlist Selection meeting. This shortlist is now ready and all members are invited to evaluate the list and submit their individual selections to their federations by 18thJanuary.
The NFWI has prepared a range of resources on each shortlisted resolution which you can use to aid your decision. Members are encouraged to read the briefings, do their own research and engage critically with the resolutions before selecting the one they support the most. We would also encourage you to hold virtual meetings to discuss the resolutions in you WIs.
You can find the shortlist and supporting resources here.
If you have any questions about returning your selection slip, please speak to your WI committee or your federation.
You can find your selection slip in the November/December issue of WI Life.
In addition to completing the selection slip in WI Life and posting it to your federation, WI’s can:
allow members to submit their selections directly to the WI secretary via email or telephone;
conduct an anonymous poll at a virtual WI meeting; or
collect selections using electronic tools, such as via email or using a survey tool like SurveyMonkey.
For more information or to request a copy of the selection slip, please contact the NFWI onpa@nfwi.org.uk.
16 Days of Action: 25thNovember – 10thDecember 2020
During the first 7 weeks of the national lockdown that begun in March, the police received one call relating to domestic abuse every 30 seconds. During lockdown, even more survivors will become vulnerable to domestic abuse and will find it more difficult to escape their abusers.We are encouraging WI members to take action during the 16 days of activism from 25thNovember – 10thDecember to show their support and stand in solidarity with survivors.
We have published some new resources to help you plan your virtual events, guidance on how you can continue this vital and important work during lockdown and a new presentation you can discuss at your next WI meeting.
Here are some ways you can get involved:
Take part in our ‘Supporting Survivors’ Webinar on December 1st from 1pm-2.30pm. Open to all WI members, you will have the chance to hear from expert speakers on how WI members can support survivors on a local and national level, what the impacts of Coronavirus and the lockdowns have been on survivors and specialist support services and on recognising abuse. Places are limited so register your interest here.
Host a virtual WI meeting to discuss the new presentation we have produced. This year’s presentation looks at some common myths around the issue of violence against women and also examines victim blaming. To download the presentation click here.
Hold a candlelight vigil. Whilst Coronavirus restrictions mean holding a vigil outside is not possible, we have issued guidance on how you can take part at home. You can also join NFWI Wales’ virtual candlelight vigil on 23rd November at 6pm. Register to take part and find further information here
Organise or take part in a virtual fundraising quiz: This year, local women’s refuges have seen a dramatic decline in fundraising. You can still help – use our guide on how to set up a virtual quiz to raise money for your local women’s refuge.
Take part in White Ribbon Day: White Ribbon Day takes place on 25th November every year. We have outlined ways you can take part this year here.
Set up a challenge and get sponsored: This document will help you set up a challenge, which you can do from home, and guide you on how to get sponsored and give the donations to your local women’s refuge.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and White Ribbon Day
NFWI-Wales invites you to attend the following virtual events on Monday 23 November 2020, sponsored by Joyce Watson MS, to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and White Ribbon Day:
Cross-party stakeholder event focussing on violence against women in rural communities: 10am - 11.30am
This event will bring interested stakeholders together to discuss some of the current challenges in terms of delivering services in rural communities and the challenges for victims in reaching out and accessing support. The event will also provide an opportunity to explore potential solutions.
To take part, email: walesoffice@nfwi-wales.org.uk
Candlelight Vigil: 6pm - 7.30pm
This event will bring people together to show solidarity with victims of violence against women across the world ahead of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
Speakers include Jane Hutt MS, Chief Whip and Deputy Minister and Dame Vera Baird QC, Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales. We will also hear from a survivor of domestic abuse, a White Ribbon ambassador and cross-party representatives.
Please register here to join the event and for further information.Watch: David Attenborough 'A Life On Our Planet'
Following the release of David Attenborough 'A Life on our Planet' documentary on Netflix at the start of October, the NFWI Public Affairs team would like to encourage WI members to consider organising virtual screenings of the documentary using Zoom.Produced with the WWF, the documentary is billed as David Attenborough's 'witness statement', and underlines the urgent need for world leaders and Governments to come together to tackle climate change and the degradation of wildlife and nature before it's too late.
The film can be screened using a Netflix account. Should you or any one you know be unable to access a Netflix account, the producers of the film advise using Netflix's promotional offer of one free month, and then closing your account before your free month runs out.
Find more information about the film and resources for community screeningshere.
Watch the film here. Equal Pay Day: 20thNovember
The Fawcett Society have confirmed that Equal Pay Day 2020 (the day in the year when women effectively, on average, stop earning relative to men) will fall on 20thNovember.
By using the full-time mean average pay gap (adding everyone together and dividing by the number of people), the Fawcett Society have calculated that the gender pay gap for this year is 11.5%, down from 13.1% in 2019.
Equal pay has been a long-standing concern of the WI. In 1943 WI members first campaigned for equal pay and stood up to say “That men and women should receive equal pay for equal work” (Bures WI, West Suffolk Federation)
While a reduction in the gender pay gap is welcome, the Fawcett Society warns that this year’s data comes with a significant reliability warning. This is due to difficulties the ONS has had in data collection due to the coronavirus pandemic, with a quarter of the usual sample of employer pay data missing (44,000 out of 180,000 employers) and the impact of furlough unclear.
To help raise awareness of their forthcoming report, the Fawcett Society is asking supporters to take part in an online stunt by wearing an Equal Pay Face Mask and posting the image on social media on November 20th. You will find examples in the image below – don’t forget to use the hashtags #equalpayday2020
For further information click here or email us at pa@nfwi.org.uk.
Food Waste: Help Spread the Word!
Every year roughly 6 million tonnes of food are thrown away by UK households, of which 4.5 million tonnes is edible. According to the UN, if global food waste were a country, it would be the 3rdlargest emitter of greenhouse gases. On top of its negative environmental impact, food waste typically costs a family of four about £60 a month.
The UK has signed up to a global sustainable target of halving food waste by 2030. To help achieve this and as part of our Food Matters campaign, we have produced a flyer outlining ‘10 Top Tips to Reduce your Household Food Waste’ submitted by WI members.
Whilst you may already be doing this in practice, sharing these tips with friends, family and community members can help spread the word about how we all have a role to play in reducing our household food waste.
You can download the list here.
The Environment Bill and Plastic Pollution Bill
The Environment Bill finally returned to Parliament on the 3rd of November.
The Bill has been given a parliamentary ‘out date’- meaning the Bill has to have moved from the House of Commons- of the 1st of December.
The Bill is currently going through Committee Stage in the House of Commons, and has 7 further stages to go through.
Working with Surfers Against Sewage, Keep Britain Tidy, Tearfund and Friends of the Earth, the NFWI will be tabling the plastics reduction amendments to the Environment Bill at the 'Report Stage', which is the next stage of the parliamentary process.
We also supported Alistair Carmichael MP's Plastic Pollution Bill which was tabled on the 5th of November 2020. PA Digest on My WI
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Support and help during pandemic This can be a particularly difficult and worrying time for adults and children living with domestic abuse. This link will take you take a page of support sources, please share as widely as possible. It is important that survivors know that they are not alone. This can also be a difficult and worrying time if you require additional assistance. If you need emergency food or support you can find the contact details of your local food bank using your postcode here. If you are able to support your local food bank with donations or by volunteering, click here to visit the FareShare website. You can also visit this section of our website for information from the NFWI on ways you can help your community, sources of support and other helpful information such as setting up a virtual meeting.
We have a PDF versions of the digest available, that you can share with the people around you. Please get in touch with the Public Affairs department if you would like a copy. Please also encourage other members of your WI to sign up to receive this monthly digest. Kind regards, The NFWI Public Affairs team. pa@nfwi.org.uk 020 7371 9300 ext.238
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