Welcome to the WNC frontpage
About the WNC
As the only official, national body working on women’s equality we have a special role to fulfil and an important remit within the equality machinery in the UK. Our independent voice, bringing the informed voice of women to government, especially women who may not represented by mainstream organisations, is unique. Our Chair is Baroness Joyce Gould, who works with our Board of Commissioners, who together reflect the views of our 500+ partners.
We work with
We work with all parts of the sector to bring views of women and their representatives together into a clear, coherent voice. We have working groups of expert stakeholders, who provide the specialist knowledge on leading issues that concern women, such as 'Violence against women' and migration and asylum issues. Our work is valued and welcomed by the UK Government and our status allows us to present findings and reports directly to Ministers and senior officials.
Why join
The WNC aims to act as a bridge linking the women's sector to government. We try to ensure that information is passed from the sector to government and from government to the sector. Becoming a Partner of the WNC, as an organisation or as an individual, means you will be invited to participate in our work and your views actively sought. We ask our Partners to sign up to a basic set of principles, to respect others’ views and to work together to improve the lives of women across the UK. For more information on how to become a partner, please click here.
Where we are
The WNC is an Advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) funded by the Government Equalities Office and is based near Victoria Station in London. Our full address is:
Women's National CommissionZone 2/J5Eland HouseBressenden PlaceLondon SW1E 5DUTel: 0303 4441580 (Temporary Contact number)Fax: 020 7944 0583
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The Equality Bill: Launch of the Codes of Practice Consultation |
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The WNC will be formally responding to the Equality and Human Rights Commission Codes of Practice Consultation. The draft codes cover three aspects of the Equality Bill: Employment, Equal Pay and Services, Public Functions and Associations.
The three draft codes and accompanying questionnaires can be accessed here. We are inviting partners to send any comments for inclusion in our response by the following dates:
Employment: Wednesday 24th February
Equal Pay and Services: Wednesday 3rd March
Public Functions and Associations: Wednesday 17th March
We have staggered the deadlines for responses for practical reasons. Please send responses to
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This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , clearly stating which code of practice your comments relate to.
For more information about this consultation please click here |
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Combined Fund to Support Victims of Sexual Violence |
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Government funding for voluntary agencies that provide support to victims of sexual violence will be streamlined with the establishment of a one-year combined fund for 2010/11.
The fund has been created by merging the Office for Criminal Justice Reform Victims Fund and the Government Equalities Office Special Fund, in order to simplify the application and administration process for voluntary organisations in the sector. The combined fund will mean there is a single application and monitoring process.
Agencies can make applications for both sets of funding from 27 January until 22 February 2010 and grant awards will be announced in March.
Details of how to apply, application forms and eligibility criteria can be found here |
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WNC Consultation on Single Sex Services |
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The WNC has launched a consultation on single sex services after concerns raised by a number of partner organisations that women-only services are currently under threat.
Women have been telling us that they are worried about their women-only services. We know that women value services provided by other women because their needs would not be met if women-only services did not exist.
We wanted to ask you about your experience of women-only services: whether you would choose a women-only service, should you need to. Your help on this would be really valuable and enable us to tell Government how important they are for you.
Women tell us that they are losing these services and sometimes this is through a misunderstanding of their value by funders and about the gender equality duty which they interpret as meaning money should go to general services for both women and men despite the specific needs women have.
We are keen to find out the views of our partners on this issue and invite you to take part in a short survey.
It would be really helpful if we could have your response by Tuesday 2 March. We look forward to hearing from you.
To make your contribution please click here
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Consultation invite: Single Equality Scheme 2010-2013 |
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The Women’s National Commission would like to invite its Partners and other key stakeholders for their input on our Single Equality Scheme consultation document and our equalities plans for the next three years.
We cannot develop our forward equalities plan in isolation, so your views, feedback, opinions and contributions are an important and invaluable part of developing this plan.
This consultation will be open for 4 weeks and will be held between 12/02/10 and 12/03/10. We will be inviting responses by Internet, telephone and mail and we look forward to your responses during this time.
Please feel free to get in touch with us using the contact details below.
Email:
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Women’s National Commission
Eland House
Bressenden place
London SW1E 5DU
Tel: 0303 44400580
Fax: 0303 4443314
We look forward to hearing from you. |
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WNC Position Paper and Briefing on the Equality Bill