Hannah Bardell, Maria Bowtell, Ellie Chowns, and Daisy Cooper discuss women's issues, trans rights, gender care for children, improving childcare, women's safety, teaching consent, maternity care, NHS staff retention, climate policies, and voter registration in an engaging and diverse election debate on Woman's Hour.
Recognizing misogyny as a hate crime can deter perpetrators and protect victims, prioritizing women's safety.
Labour aims to prevent violence by educating on consent and behavior to create a safer environment for women.
Improving maternity care and addressing climate change are key priorities for political parties to enhance women's well-being.
Deep dives
Efforts to Address Violence Against Women and Girls
Efforts to tackle growing violence against women and girls have been a top priority for various political parties. The Liberal Democrats propose making misogyny a hate crime, ensuring employers protect employees from harassment, and training police to tackle domestic abuse. Labour aims to reduce violence by halving violence against women and girls, introducing specialist support in courts, and increasing police training. Reform UK advocates for 40,000 more police officers and funding to combat grooming gangs. The Green Party supports making misogyny a hate crime and investing in police and service providers.
Importance of Making Misogyny a Hate Crime
The discussion around making misogyny a hate crime has gained significant traction. The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party strongly support this measure as a way to address violence against women and girls. They believe that recognizing misogyny as a hate crime can help deter perpetrators and protect victims. Both parties emphasize the need to implement policies that prioritize the safety and well-being of women.
Focus on Prevention in Addressing Violence
Preventing violence against women and girls is a key aspect highlighted by Labour. They stress the importance of education in schools to teach consent and appropriate behavior to prevent future violence. Sarah Jones of Labour also mentions initiatives in Wales and London that involve working with perpetrators and identifying high-risk individuals to intervene before violent acts occur. Labour's approach involves addressing root causes and changing behaviors to create a safer environment for women.
Comprehensive Strategies to Enhance Safety
Various political parties have proposed comprehensive strategies to enhance the safety of women and girls. Initiatives range from making misogyny a hate crime to increasing police presence and funding for support services. Efforts to improve training, implement protective measures, and engage with perpetrators aim to create a more secure environment for women. The focus is on preventive measures, education, and addressing systemic issues underpinning violence against women and girls.
Funding and Culture Challenges in Maternity Care
Improving maternity care in the NHS is crucial as recent reports have highlighted shockingly poor quality and systemic failures in maternal health services, leading to traumatic experiences for many families. The Green Party emphasizes the need for increased funding of 30 billion per year to address recruitment, retention, and overall health crises in the NHS. They advocate for honest investment disclosure and addressing the financial burden on midwives. Labour aims to train thousands more midwives, focusing on workforce planning and robust support for failing maternity services. Additionally, they emphasize closing racial maternal mortality gaps and improving retention programs.
Climate Change Policies Across Political Parties
Political parties address the urgency of tackling the climate emergency through varying strategies. Plaid Cymru highlights the importance of recognising climate change threats and engaging young people in environmental issues, advocating for sustainable energy production in Wales. The Conservatives focus on reaching net zero emissions by 2050, tripling offshore wind capacity and investing in green industries. The Green Party stresses the need for immediate action by implementing a street-by-street home insulation programme and transitioning to renewable energy sources much earlier than the target year of 2050. Each party presents distinct approaches to combat climate change, emphasizing renewable energy, conservation, and economic growth.
In a special extended 90 minute programme, Nuala McGovern hosts the Woman's Hour Election Debate. Senior women from the main political parties of Great Britain outline their priorities for women and answer your questions. Taking part are: Scottish National Party spokesperson for Consular Affairs and International Engagement Hannah Bardell; Reform UK candidate Maria Bowtell; Green Party spokesperson for Housing and Communities Ellie Chowns; Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper; Conservative Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work Mims Davies; Labour's Shadow Minister for Industry and Decarbonisation Sarah Jones and Plaid Cymru’s Westminster Leader Liz Saville Roberts.
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