As a Club we lobby on a wide range of subjects, fulfilling our pledge to advocate for improvements to the lives of women and girls brought to our attention by members of the Federation, the United Kingdom Programme Action Committee (UKPAC) and Partner Organizations.
We operate at International, National and Local levels. In the past few years we have covered the subjects described below.
As our membership covers a wide geographical area we are able to contact several different Members of Parliament when we need to deal direct with our representatives in Parliament also Local Authorities and others in authority to effect change.
INTERNATIONAL
After learning about the plight of women in Afghanistan at a Regional Meeting, we wrote to a local MP to express concern about cuts in International Aid to that country. The response was not encouraging since he does not wish to encourage the regime currently in power. Another Club member had contacts with a Charity working in the same country and we were able to pass this information on to our Afghani source.
NATIONAL
Gender disparity in sentencing for cases of non-payment of fines issued for failure to obtain BBC TV Licences, has led to many women serving terms of imprisonment. We have written to both the Culture Secretary and the Director General of the BBC on the subject and have been pleased to learn that the BBC now have an action plan to pursue a less aggressive method of dealing with enforcement actions, including working with an independent debt support charity.
We monitor progress following our ratification of the Istanbul Convention, a Council of Europe Treaty aimed at reducing all forms of violence against women. We lobbied extensively for ratification and await the report of the first inspections later this year.
We await an update on the progress of a nomination for an English Heritage Blue Plaque in London for an earlier member of our Club, Elisabeth Scott, 1898-1972. The nomination was submitted as part of a desire to increase recognition for females who had made a significant contribution to national life.
LOCAL
Many members completed a survey conducted by the local council (BCP) which aimed to educate and raise awareness on domestic abuse. It was noted that the council claimed in the survey that Independent Domestic Violence Adviserswere available. This contradicted information gleaned from the SIGBI project on Special Domestic Abuse Courts. This was pointed out on completing the forms.
Bournemouth Pier Theatre, designed by Elisabeth Scott, has also been nominated for a Local Heritage Listing and progress through the system is monitored. The project is very much delayed at present. If the Theatre is approved there will be a public vote to approve the listing and we will be raising public awareness to secure its position on the local list. The nomination is part of our desire to provide an historic role model for the girls we encourage to consider careers in STEAM subjects.
A local MP was invited to take part in the Big Plastic Count, a survey conducted by Greenpeace to raise awareness on the subject of recycling. The MP did not appear to join in the weeklong project but did reply with details of the governments Resources and Waste Strategy.
AND….
Members are encouraged to check out and sign the latest petitions which are to be found on the SIGBI website under the headings ‘Get Involved- Sign A Petition’. We also send links to each other for a wide variety of petitions through our WhatsApp group. This has led to us calling for the use of neonicotinoids on crops to be halted, for reconsideration of the increase in financial requirements for spousal visas, and to arrange for safe migration routes. We do not expect instant results because of our lobbying but realise that many of our aims will only be realised by engaging with those in a position to change society for the better.