EVENT: CWO Evening with Maria Miller MP

Monday February 11th
7-9pm



An Evening with Maria Miller MP 
You are cordially invited to an evening with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport
and Minister for Women and Equalities, with kind permission of Alison Frost in support of the CWO.

The venue is in Holborn, London with full details to be disclosed later.

Advance booking essential. Places are limited

Tickets £40. Book online at:
http://www.conservativewomen.org.uk/events.asp?diary_no=426

Real men don't rape

A lead article in The Times today (21.12.12) discusses the issue of rape in India.  A country that is growing in leaps and bounds on other fronts; business, technology, politics, still has an estimated rape count of one every 22 minutes.  Yes you did read that correctly. In India rape is considered normal, allowable, and something men need to do.  They will blame women for western dress, being out after dark, or having an interesting background - almost any excuse they can come up with. 

Last week we were training women in Tunisia - helping to get the country into the new world of democracy.  Rape came up several times during our workshops.  The solutions ranged from 'get everyone married' to having women only groups to support each other and discuss the issue.  No.  Absolutely not.  Rape is not about what women do, wear or talk about.  Rape is about men.  Its about misogyny.  Its about control. Real men can control themselves, real men respect women.  Real men don't rape and we need to shout this loudly at every opportunity, and ensure that here in the UK, and around the world that everyone makes a stand against this issue, and to stop considering rape to be something that is the fault of women.

LEADING MEP URGES WOMEN TO CHECK CAR INSURANCE POLICIES

Vicky Ford, Conservative MEP for the East of England, is urging women to check their car insurance policies and to consider renewing policies before a new EU ruling comes into effect on the 21st December. According to industry estimates younger women drivers in particular could see an escalation in their insurance premiums.

The ruling in the European Court of Justice means that car insurance companies are no longer able to take gender into account as a key consideration when deciding on a person's car insurance premium. This means that in spite of research showing that younger women drivers have fewer accidents than their male counterparts, this will be ignored when calculating insurance premiums from now on. According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), women drivers could see their premiums rise by up to 25% after December as a result, with younger women being particularly hard hit.

Mrs Ford commented: "This rise is expected to hit up to three quarters of all female drivers and I would encourage younger women in particular to check their car insurance renewal dates, and to consider renewing policies before the law comes into effect on the 21st December. As younger women tend to have few accidents than younger male drivers, to date insurers have been able to offer the women lower pricing, reflecting the lower risk. Now insurers will not be able to offer this differentiated policy. There appears to be a general consensus that car insurance prices for certain women drivers will rise significantly as a result. I am concerned that people are not aware that this cut off date is imminent. I don't think the ruling is sensible, it throws into question the whole theory of insurance pricing which tries to match premiums to expected risks. I would be interested in hearing from readers with any feedback on whether the price of insurance premiums have indeed risen and how this ruling has affected them. Check your policy before Christmas."

-Ends-

For further information, photographs or quotes please contact Sarah Stamp, Press and Communications Officer to Vicky Ford MEP, on 07584 028671 or at communications@vickyford.org

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

           

CWO are supporting International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25th November.  Join us on Twitter and Facebook #endviolenceagainstwomen  @UNWOMENUK  @cwowomen    

               

This week in Parliament

Oral Questions to the Minister for Women & Equalities Thursday 22nd November at 1015am.  Watch live on www.parliamentlive.tv

CWO Action Day in Corby, 10th November

On Saturday 10th November CWO members will be going up to Corby and East Northamptonshire to support our candidate Christine Emmett. Our help is really needed to knock on more doors, deliver more leaflets and campaign more effectively than the opposition.

If you are coming from London there are direct trains from St Pancras to Corby which take 1 hour and 10mins.

Please meet us at the Campaign Centre at 10am which is a short walk from the railway station. The address for the campaign centre is: Corby campaign office, Exchange Court, Central business park, Cottingham Road, Corby, NN17 1TY.

If you are able to join us in Corby next saturday please email theodora@conservativewomen.org.uk.  

Best wishes,

Theodora Clarke (CWO Head of Communications)

Future dates for your diary:

Wednesday 14th November-  PCC & Corby telephone canvassing at CCHQ
Tuesday 4th December- Christmas drinks party in Westminster

Members of the Conservative Womens Organisation led a meeting of women activists and politicians in Westminster this week with the Global Justice Centre team from the US, to discuss the way in which US law in particular defines gender equality rights very narrowly, including the exclusion of abortion laws from equality scrutiny.

This has a major effect on the treatment of women raped during conflict, and we are have formulated a plan to encourage our Government to add their voice to enforce international humanitarian law and making Security Council Resolutions, such as those that address gender parity in peacekeeping and rape as a weapon of war, legally enforceable rights. Want to know more? Contact us, and take a look at the GJC website

http://www.globaljusticecenter.net

CWO at Conservative Party Conference 2012

Please find below our invitation to join the Conservative Women’s Organisation at our Fringes at the Conservative Party Conference October 7 – October 10.

Also we can be found on Stand P29/P30 in the Party Zone Hall 3 of the ICC

We look forward to meeting and seeing you there.

Katy Bourne
Chairman
 

Dates for your diary:

The Evolving Workplace
Monday 12.30-14.00 in the Hyatt Regency -Scherzo. Speakers Helen Grant MP (Chair), Marina Yannakoudakis MEP and Cllr Katharine Harborne- Richmond Borough Council, Dr Isabella Moore CBE, Women's Enterprise Policy Group.

Celebrating Women in The Party and Beyond
Monday 17.30-19.00 in the Hyatt Regency- Fortissimo with Action Aid UK and Dods. Speakers Katy Bourne CWO Chairman (Chair), Richard Miller Exec.Director Action Aid UK, Margot James MP, Melanie Ward, Head of Public Affairs, Action Aid

Growing A Better Future for Women
Tuesday 12.30-14.00 in the ICC Hall 6 with Oxfam. Speakers Katy Bourne  CWO Chairman (Chair), Penny Lawrence, International Director, Oxfam, Jeremy Lefroy MP International Development Select Committee, Anna Swaithes, Head of Water & Food Security Policy SAB Miller..

Visit our website for more information here

Follow us on twitter @conswomen
www.conservativewomen.org.uk