The government has marked International Women’s Day by announcing increased financial support for survivors of domestic violence, help for parents returning to work after a career break and funds for next year’s centenary of women receiving the vote.
An extra £20m will be provided to organisations battling domestic violence and abuse, which increases the total state funding for the initiative to £100m over the course of the current parliament. This is on top of the proceeds of the tampon tax, which will provide £12m this year to a range of women’s charities. The chancellor, Philip Hammond, also repeated the government’s commitment to introducing a domestic violence and abuse act.
The planned closure of refuges that protect female domestic abuse victims in Northamptonshire has been halted
Over the last two weeks, women have been defending their rights at the United Nations 58th Commission on the Status of Women