UK failing on disability rights

Tonight the BBC revealed that the UK has government has receieved a less than positive report from  the  UN Committee on the Rights of Disabled Persons (CRPD), who found that recent reforms in social security unduly discrimate against disabled people.  The full article can be accessed here.  Ironically, in a report which mentions stereotyping and negative portrayal of disabilities, the two images used are firstly of someone in a wheel chair, and secondly, of wheel chair (disabled) car parks.  At least the government recognises some diversity in disability.


Unsurprisingly, the government disputes the reports findings, noting that they provide a range of work and health related support, not just social security.  Although not mentioned in the article, one example of this is the Access to Work program, which provides assistance to people with diabilities, to enable them to find, or return to work.  The program recognises that no two cases are the same, and works with individuals to provide solutions appropriate for their own needs and job role.  As someone who has benefitted from this program, I know that it has definitely helped ease my transition back into full time work. It is a shame that welfare reforms adopt a similar approach where the outcomes are not only more tailored to meet the needs of individuals, but where the processes involved are designed to ENABLE everyone to contribue as much as they can to society, in whatever role that may be...  

New reports on sexual harassment and promoting social mobility may make some men feel disadvantaged.

The American election has been dominating the press lately.  Claims of sexual harassment by Donald Trump made headlines around the same time that the Universities UK Taskforce examining violence against women, harassment and hate crime affecting university students released their report: Changing the Culture.  Whilst this received some coverage in the UK press, it was only a brief flare of interest compared to the ongoing saga of the US election.  Even less noticeable, was the release in mid October of the 'Working In Partnership: Enabling Social Mobility In HigherEducation' Report that aims to improve "education and career outcomes for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, from black, minority and ethnic groups, and for disabled students" (Universities UK).  Both of these reports contain a number of recommendations as to how universities can improve the univeristy experience, and indeed access to it, that will hopefully lead to positive changes in these areas.

Whilst it is regrettable that there is a need for such reports in today's society, an even more disheartening fact is that promotion of equality for all can make some men feel that they are being discriminated against.  As outlined in this article published in the Harvard Business Review, there is a proportion of the white male population that views the promotion of opportunities for women or minority groups as automatically having a negative effect of them - regardless of whether or not this is true.  And to get back to the election, there even appears to be a relationship between which white american men will hold this view and their voting preferences; with republican males more affected.  Mind you, perhaps that shouldn't be all that surprising given their choice of role model.  In fact, the report states, there is also a correlation between those who feel discrimated against, the strength of support for Donald Trump.   However, given that the feeling of being discrimated against can increase group coherence (ie an increased prevalence to feel close to those of the same gender or race), perhaps it is not just Trump's behaviour that appeals, but simply the fact that he is not female.  Of course, this does not imply that all of Trump/s supporters feel disadvantaged by increasing opportunities for women and minority groups; it is simply interesting to see how the psychology of feeling discrimated against can influence one's belief system and behaviour.  With election day looming, I wonder how much these issues may influence the outcome? 

Technology helps foster the careers and aspirations of girls and women in developing countries

The guardian has published several articles in recent months showing how practical skills with computing can assist women in developing countries, or inspire girls to design apps that can not only benefit both themselves and their families in their current situations but also give them skills that may help them secure better careers in future.You can read more about the Dharavi Slum Innovation project here.

Celebrating Ada Lovelace - the woman who first saw the potential of computers

Ada Lovelace is often regarded as the first person who truly saw the potential of computers.  Although there have previously been documentaries made depicting her life, a new movie is being made by the female owned start up Monumental which aims to portray her complex character. This film reflects the increasing amount of attention are being paid to Ada Lovelace recently, partly due to the recent declaration of "Ada Lovelace day", which is the second Tuesday of October each year.  The intention of this day is to celebrate, and raise the profile of, women within STEM.  Of course, this is also an opportunity to reflect on the gender biases which are still prevalent in these industries, where women are still a minority in technical roles. This is nicely demonstrated by a recent report in The Guardian on diversity within major techology companies (Apple, Microsoft, Facebook etc). Of course, this isn't an issue that can be simply solved by positive employment policies; there needs to be an adequate suply of qualified women wanting to work in these areas.  Despite attempts over several decades, the "leaky pipe" continues to exist, with few girls choosing to take STEM subjects at each step in their education.  This emphasises why initiatives that celebrate the contributions of women and provide rolemodels to younger generations is so important.  The more girls and young women see other females succeeding in these areas, the more likely they are to pursue careers in these fields.  Consequently, Ada Lovelace is not just part of history, she is a representative of women all of the world who can inspire others to follow their own dreams and carve their own niche in this world.   

Gender pay gaps and global leaders

Posted for Liz Twigg

An interesting article from the guardian concerning the gender pay gap at universities - The university gender pay gap is down to neoliberal orthodoxy.

which mentinos this paper:

For Slow Scholarship: A Feminist Politics of Resistance through Collective Action in the Neoliberal University

Academic Bullying

Posted for Tara Woodyer

A couple of blogs concerning bullying in academic institutions

The first looks at why bullying thrives within an academic environment - Culture of cruelty.

The second looks at how some male academics are protected due to a concept of having to accept certain behaviour because of their supposed 'genius' - Protecting abusive academic men because of the 'genius' must stop.

Fieldwork, family, friendship and feeding

(Suggested by Clare Boston)

Interesting blog from Tori Herridge on the excitement of fieldwork in a Maltese cave as well as the network of friends and family and their attitudes that make such fieldwork possible with a baby. The blog highlights the importance of attitude and acceptance of others for creating an environment where a new mother feels that her presence isn’t a burden nor merely tolerated.