Another exciting month saw some excellent media coverage. We launched a pilot for exploring inequality in school groups and made headway around the world…
Building The Movement
Wanda travelled to the United Nations in Geneva on June 27th to speak alongside the Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Philip Alston. The panel discussed the highly-critical findings from Alston’s report on poverty in the UK, the day before it was presented to the Human Rights Council.
You can watch the live recording online.
Wanda brought the voices of the young people we’ve supported through our Young Equality Campaigners project to the United Nations – amplifying and centering their voices in the key discussion about socio-economic inequality in the UK this year.
At the end of a school year
We partnered with Bedales Schools Geography department on the first Student Equality event – attended by 30 sixth form students from 15 diverse schools from across London and the south of England.
The participants were enlightened by presentations on inequality in the UK – looking at statistics, measurement, drivers and impact – and were inspired by Wanda’s outline of the campaigns that The Equality Trust is working on to tackle inequality in the UK. The afternoon was devoted to co-designing effective educational materials, long-term Equality Trust supporter, Dr Neil Herrington worked with teachers to develop lesson plans, whilst students engaged in piloting an interactive activity (which will be available for download from our website soon).
Contact Jo Wittams to find out how you can run an equality event in your local school.
Fighting Inequality Globally
Equality Trust Campaigns Officer, Rianna represented the UK at the Fight Inequality Alliance global gathering in Kitwe, Zambia, joining activists from 18 countries to learn from each other’s experiences and coordinate action to Fight Inequality.
Rianna shared our lessons of national organising, worked with Oxfam Denmark to coordinate European plans and was honoured to stand in solidarity with the brave residents of Kankoyo, a community suffering health and environmental issues as a consequence of private mining.
Conversation cafe in Swindon
The Swindon Equality Group held their first Conversation Café on 13th June. People attending discussed the topic: ‘Economic Inequality – what are the consequences for emotional well-being? What can we do in Swindon to combat any negative effects?’
Conversation Café principles were adopted, including the use of a ‘talking object’.
The lively discussion resulted in a number of personal and group actions. To find out more about holding a Conversation Café in your area, contact local groups organiser Emma Marks (emma.marks@equalitytrust.org.uk).
An equality manifesto for London
My Fair London has invited Londoners to come together to develop an Equality Manifesto to take to the Mayoral Candidates before the 2020 mayoral elections.
Tickets have sold out, but you can add your name to the waiting list.
If you would like to put inequality on the agenda for your next local election, then get in contact with The Equality Trust’s Local Groups Organiser Emma (emma.marks@equalitytrust.org.uk) to find out more about local campaigning in your community.
Tea with refugees in Oswestry
Equality Oswestry is beginning discussions with the local council about ways to help support Syrian refugee families to settle and integrate into Oswestry life.
This has included attendance at a Tea party for established and newly arrived Syrian families along with other supporters which proved invaluable.
In the future, the group is looking to hold a local talk with a local community project, Chalk, about their work to support homeless people and people living in poverty.
Movement Building in Edinburgh
MyFairEdinburgh continues to build its presence in Edinburgh and across Scotland driving the inequality agenda into Brexit v Independence debates as they unfold.
Over the past month the group has been working with Citizens Basic Income Network Scotland, an educational charity explaining the value of Basic Income and it’s affordability, alongside The Common Weal, an economic think tank proposing new economic thinking.
Find your local Equality Trust group or contact us via info@equalitytrust.org.uk to find out how you can start an Equality Trust group in your area.
LATEST BLOGS / COMMENT / RESOURCES
- Global inequality and climate change on Inequality.org
- Analysis: The wage penalty for mothers
- FIFA Women’s World Cup and income inequality
- The Polluter Elite Database by Dario Kenner
- Talking about the gender pay gap in IT
- Open letter calling on UK government to act on UN report on extreme poverty and inequality
KEY DEVELOPMENTS AND REPORTS
- The Equality Trust’s own: From Pin Money to Fat Cats: Pay Inequality in the FTSE 100
- Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights on his visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- The Darlington Experiment: Equality Impact Investing Project report
- UN expert condemns failure to address impact of climate change on poverty
INEQUALITY IN THE NEWS
- Climate change, will human rights survive?
- The effect of the two child limit and poverty
- Billionaires calling for wealth tax (also more news coverage here)
- Wealth inequality in Coventry, Peterborough, Halifax and West Sussex (Equality Trust quoted)
- Swiss women strike for gender pay equality
- The effect of regional inequality for retirees
BEST INEQUALITY READS AND LISTENS
- MIT has created an Atlas of Inequality (currently featuring only New York and Boston). Find out more in their project overview
- Progressive think tank IPPR paper on reforming the taxation of wealth
- Listen to Rutger Bergman – A roadmap to Utopia
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