Note of WNC Commissioners' meeting
23 May 2007
Those present:
Joyce Gould (JG)
Interim Chair
Ranjana Bell (RB)
Commissioner
Anita Gale (AG)
Commissioner
Bronagh Hinds (BH)
Commissioner
Brenda King (BK)
Commissioner
Sabin Malik (SM)
Commissioner
Susan Green (SG)
Acting Director, WNC
Leon Bond (LB)
Business Manager, WNC
Apologies:
Liz Kelly
Commissioner
Also present
Anna Trojanoska
Visiting intern, WNC
Agenda item 1 Welcome, Introductions and Opening remarks
1. JG welcomed all the Commissioners to the meeting and introduced herself. She said how delighted she was to be appointed Interim Chair of the WNC and that she was very much looking forward to working with Commissioners and the WNC Directorate.
2. For the benefit of Commissioners who could not attend the previous day's Learning Exchange, JG gave a recap of the discussion. (Minutes are attached).
Agenda item 2 Induction pack
3. SG ran through the documents in the pack. This prompted a discussion on the background and future of the WNC.
4. SG talked about the aims and objectives of the WNC, as set out in the induction pack. There was a discussion on the need to revisit these, once the light touch WNC Review had reported. It was felt that the WNC's independence should be stressed in it's vision and mission statement.
5. The position of the WNC with its Partners and Government was discussed, with the need to highlight both the independence of the collective views it put forward from Partners and how it was able to influence policy development.
6. There was concern about the exceptionally small number of Commissioners at present. Together with the lack of a Commissioner for Scotland, it was felt this would impact on the work that could be done. It was agreed that advertisements for the next round of appointments should be publicised more widely, especially within the devolved nations. Action point 1 SG to explore co-opting a Commissioner for Scotland.
7. Looking at the structure of the Directorate, SG explained that interns were being used extensively and that this both helped with financial constraints and built links with Partners. However, in the long term, it is preferable to increase the proportion of permanent civil servant staff so as to avoid losing expertise as interns leave. WNC had regularly used Hansard Society interns and would explore doing so in future.
8. AG felt that a dedicated outreach post was a priority, SG explained that staff had been reorganised to keep the outreach work ongoing. As the WNC budget was fixed for the last ten years, it meant it had reduced in real terms and that outreach was often one of the first work areas to be postponed.
9. SG expanded on the role of WNC in preparing the shadow CEDAW report and those of the different WNC working groups.
Action point 2 SG/LB to ensure all Commissioners are copied into CEDAW and ensure that Commissioners sign off the final report and accompanying critical issues.
10. The relationship between WNC and the new CEHR was discussed, with consideration of the representatives that it sent to the Equality and Diversity forum.
Action point 3 RB to attend EDF as WNC representative.
11. The WNC Constitution and partner breakdown in the pack were discussed and it was clarified that the constitution in the induction pack was the current one. There was a previous one drawn up in 1999, included in the first WNC review. It was agreed that the current constitution would be revisited.
Action point 4 - LB to send out the latest version to Commissioners.
12. Commissioners raised queries about partners and the breakdown between the regions and subject areas. Commissioners agreed to put any specific queries to Mutanser Ahsraf, as outreach officer. Mutanser would also discuss the devolved regions with AG and BH. Action point 5 All Commissioners to check list and highlight any queries, Mutanser Ashraf to meet with AG/BH.
Janet Veitch (JV), the retired WNC Director joined the meeting.
Agenda items 3 & 4 Governmental Equality machinery
13. JV gave a short talk, explaining the position of the WNC within government and the different areas that shared responsibility for Equalities. This was mainly Westminster-based and it was agreed that similar diagrams should be drawn up for Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland (if possible).
Action point 6 - LB to provide copy of JV's diagram to commissioners.
Action point 7 - AG and BH to provide similar diagrams for next meeting on bodies in Wales and N Ireland/Scotland.
14. Equality 2025, the advisory body dealing with disability issues was raised as being a comparator for the WNC.
Action point 8 SG/LB to obtain information on Equality 2025 particularly on budgets, staffing, structure and remit.
15. The devolved nations were raised as being a particular area where the WNC should focus in future. The role of partners and their expectations was discussed. Working groups and the all-partner conference were looked at in the light of the new structures being set up for the CEHR and the overall `Equalities PSA' for government. It was agreed that this was an evolving area, and one that the WNC should look to play a role.
16. JG gave her thanks to JV for her briefing and for her previous work as director.
Agenda item 5 Lunch
17. The WNC staff joined the meeting to meet Commissioners and informally introduce themselves.
Agenda item 6 Work updates See Papers WNC07/2/2-5
18.
Erin Richardson gave an update on the VAW working group and subgroups.
Karin Snabb gave an update on the Iraqi Women's Internship Project. Commissioners felt this project was a useful model for the future and it was suggested that WNC look at repeating the work in countries such as Afghanistan, should future budgets allow. CEDAW was discussed, Commissioners asked for a more detailed breakdown of the responses, with an emphasis on the devolved nations.
Action point 9 Karin Snabb to prepare and send the analysis.
Shelly Dowrich gave an update on CSW and the Human Rights E-network, together with work on Migration & Asylum and FGM.
Mutanser Ashraf explained the work being done on outreach and the Muslim Women's Network (MWN), specifically the way that this issue fed into a very wide range of topics. There was concern that non-Muslim BME women were also being approached, but funding had been specifically allocated to engage with Muslim Women. This led to a wide discussion on the role of individual Commissioners and how they could take part and assist in the overall outreach work. It was agreed that this would need to be considered at the next meeting as part of the overall review of work priorities. Mutanser explained that it was hoped that the MWN could be moved to independence with core funding from the Joseph Rowntree trust which had reached the second round for funding.
19. The Commissioners expressed thanks to the staff for their committed work in the current period of uncertainty. The staff then left the meeting.
20. JG asked Commissioners to report back on the work since the last meeting.
AG set out her continuing work in Wales, with a request that the WNC budget be looked at to allow the earmarking of funds for Wales, together with the other nations. SG explained that although the WNC budget is not yet finalised, the staffing situation meant there should be funding available for AG's outreach work.
Action point 10 LB to send out budget report for 2006/07 to Commissioners.
RB talked about the issue of a Bahraini women's organization that had asked to meet with the WNC to raise issues of concern within Bahrain was discussed. It was felt that this fell outside the WNCs remit, but that individual Commissioners were happy to meet with representatives to discuss.
BH explained the work that she and Liz Kelly had done in Northern Ireland. Talking about `women and violence' and feeding into the `Nobel Women' group.
Action point 11 - BH to provide paragraph for next WNC newsletter and the WNC website.
Agenda item 7 Light Touch Review
21. JG and SG gave an update on the progress of the light touch WNC Review, it was reported that all the interviews had now taken place and it was planned that the report would be go to Ministers in the last week of May.
Action point 12 To have wide-ranging review of WNC structure and work plan at the next meeting, in light of the Review.
Action point 13 WNC to ask Rita Donaghy to attend next Learning Exchange to explain her conclusions and offer recommendations.
Agenda item 8 Director's report
22. SG gave a report on both her and Janet Veitch's work as Director since February. This included the Olympics, CSW, the work done with foreign interns, the Gender Equality Duty and Honours. BH said that acceptance of UK Honours was a difficult issue for those in Northern Ireland and that this impacted on the drive to increase nominations from across the regions.
23. There was a discussion of the different equality schemes being set up by government departments, both single equality schemes and those only dealing with gender equality. Also the work taking place with NGO's and the `Compact' on dealing with the voluntary sector, set up by the Cabinet Office.
Action point 14 SG to send out a copy of the `Compact' document and relevant departmental equality schemes to Commissioners for information.
Agenda item 9 Chair's report
24. Both SG and JG were asked for the future to provide their reports before the meeting and for JG to give an edited version, that highlighted any particular events that needed to be raised at the meeting itself.
Agenda item 10 Minutes of last meeting
25. These were approved.
Agenda item 11 Any other business and dates of next meeting
26. The dates for the next meeting was agreed as July 10th and 11th 2007. Future meeting dates were to be re-circulated for Commissioners to agree.
Action point 15 - LB to re-circulate dates for Commissioners` meetings.
