Charities were told to focus on issues affecting women in the UK, just as they have begun to concentrate on investing in women in the developing world, at a meeting of fundraisers, academics and trust representatives yesterday.
Vivienne Hayes, chief executive of the Women’s Resource Centre, told the Female Futures of Philanthropy event at Cass Business School in London that, in light of reduced public spending, job cuts, the closure of the Women's National Commission and a reluctance of the media and women to discuss women’s issues, “the future of women in our country is at its most vulnerable for 50 years”.
Hayes argued that while the vast majority of trusts in Europe express support for the subject of women and girls, very few have specific programmes which target this group.
She said, “It’s puzzling that internationally it is recognised that investing in women is investing in families and communities, but that it’s not recognised here.”
Noting research presented by Cass Professor Cathy Pharoah, showing that women give to animal and religious charities to a greater extent then men, Hayes asked “Why do women give to animals and religion when we’re fighting for our rights?”
“Is there something about not wanting to acknowledge pain which means that women give to animals and not women?”
She added that it is "almost a waste of time talking to politicians" on the issue of women's groups and disadvantage, and that the best hope for improving the situation is independent groups.
Hayes’ call for the harnessing of latent and existing female philanthropy was echoed by other speakers at the event, held to explore the state and possibilities of female giving.
Gillian Egan, trustee at Rosa – the UK’s first fund for women and girls, said that as women are increasingly accruing their own, independent wealth they are also increasingly building networks among other similar women, such as in the city, and that charities should be tapping into those networks.
Both Rosa and the Women’s Resource Centre, their representatives said, are facing very tough financial situations themselves.
Professor Diana Leat, a visiting professor at Cass Business School, said that while many foundations will not specifically fund women and girls, this was a result of discourse and categorisation rather than a neglect of funding for issues affecting women and girls. She said foundations are “missing looking at things with a gender lens”, but added that “‘gender’ is not code for ‘female’”.
