Concerns women's equality is 'going backwards'

Three high-profile Welsh women have raised concerns that women's equality could be "going backwards".

Research in 2024 showed 47% of people said when it comes to giving women equal rights with men "things have gone far enough in Great Britain".

Johanna Robinson, Welsh government advisor on violence against women and girls, said of those she speaks to "a significant proportion of men think gender equality has gone too far".

She added although there had been progression and positive change, it had also created anger in some men.

A panel of Welsh women spoke to BBC Walescast to mark International Women's Day, which falls on 8 March.

For more than a century, people around the world have marked International Women's Day.

The idea to make it an international event came from Clara Zetkin, a communist activist and advocate for women's rights.

However, despite acknowledging successes and changes, Welsh women have raised concerns that equality is regressing.

Johanna has spoken out previously about her own experience as a survivor.

"When I speak to young women I am horrified of their experiences, that actually they're no safer than I was at their age," she said.

"One of the things for me that really demonstrates this is speaking to young women about their day to day experiences - like gym culture, and that they choose safe spots or safe times."

She said despite the progression made, it had created anger in some men.

"In some ways you see that fuelling men, that women are improving and they now feel that gender equality has gone too far."

Helen Molyneux is a lawyer and founder of the Monumental Welsh Women Project - a project to help provide statues of real Welsh women in Wales.

"I worry that there's this push back against women's rights," she said.

"There's almost a bit of hysteria around facts like there are more women doctors than men now or that women are earning slightly more than men in certain age groups."

She said attitudes in places like the US and Afghanistan meant women there "have less rights now than their mothers and grandmothers".

Sian James played a key role in the support networks surrounding the 1984 miner's strike.

Women played a vital role in the dispute, organising food collections, distributions and fundraising, organising pickets and speaking at rallies.

Sian was one of many women to join support groups in south Wales, and said the women were "better organisers".

"I come from a long line of chopsy women, I'm not ashamed to say that. Chopsy women change the world.

"Suddenly in '84, women really were at the forefront, it's very empowering, very liberating."

But while she acknowledges there have been changes in women's equality, she is concerned it is not enough.

"I am really tired of people telling me to stop being woke.

"It's not, it's basic human rights and I'm going to keep fighting for them as long as I possibly can."

Research from the World Economic Forum found at the current rate of progress it would take until 2158 to reach full parity - which is roughly five generations from now.

All three women could give examples of times in their careers where they had been made to feel uncomfortable because they were women.

Sian became a Labour MP for Swansea East in 2005, and told BBC Wales about an interaction that happened to her in Westminster.

"I had a big brooch on and somebody said 'oh [you] won first prize in the heifer class have you, at the local agricultural fair'.

"That was a member of parliament that said that to me."

Johanna said: "I got harassed in my first job when I was washing pots, and then I got harassed later on in life as well."

Johanna spoke of when she was harassed at a football match.

She said a man sitting behind her repeatedly grabbed her after she had told him to stop.

Helen described a time as a young solicitor when she was called a witch.

"I was accused of organising a coven because I invited three other female solicitors out for lunch," she said.

She also said she was horrified telling her daughter about some of her experiences.

"I'm embarrassed to say that I would tell my daughter stories of things that happened and [laugh], because at the time, it was just what you put up with if you wanted to fit in and get on."

All three women highlighted the importance of education to ensure men are part of the solution to tackling gender inequality.

• You can catch up on Thursday's episode of Walescast on BBC Sounds