Thriving in ministry – an overview of the issues

Jenny Baker, Sophia Network

2009 is

  • just over 80 years after women were given same rights as men to vote
  • 30 years after first female prime minister
  • Carol Ann Duffy became first female poet laureate
  • Claire Taylor first woman to be named a Wisden cricketer of the year
  • Kirsty Moore became first female red arrows pilot
  • Helen Alexander, first female president of the CBI – business lobbying group.
  • Dorothy Hughes and Winifred Philiips became first female Chelsea pensioners.

It’s not actually that long since women got the vote – happened in my grandmother’s lifetime - something that we take for granted, although Kuwait women only got the vote in 2005. The fact that we can celebrate so many female firsts shows that although society has changed a lot since then, there’s a still a way to go before there’s equality of opportunity for women and men.

Some areas of life are still very male dominated:

  • sport – study in march 2007 of sports pages of national newspapers found that 2 per cent of articles and 1.4 per cent of images were of sportswomen – more images of footballers’ girlfriends than sportswomen. Teenage girls would rather be thin than fit – don’t see the connection.
  • the arts - top 250 films last year only 9% were directed by women; Jane Campion – only female winner of Palme D;Or from Cannes film festival
  • 11 per cent of FTSE 100 directorships are women(2008) – Lucy Neville Rolfe - Tesco
  • around 19 per cent of MPs are female – 51st in table of world countries, behind Mozambique, United Arab Emirates and Iraq. (Rwanda and Sweden top the list) At current rate of change, it will take 200 years before women are equally represented in parliament.

If we could be sure that opportunities were given purely on merit, that they were accessible to everyone equally, then there isn’t a problem. What is of concern is that a complex blend of

  • gender expectations,
  • networking relationships,
  • sex discrimination and
  • difference of opportunities

combine to still create barriers for women in many areas of life.

But it’s not only women who face inequality. For example, a report from the Men's Health Forum, published to mark National Men’s Health week showed that:

  • men are 40 per cent more likely to die from cancer than women
  • they are 16 per cent more likely to get cancer in the first place
  • When gender-specific cancers are excluded as well as lung cancer, men are 70 per cent more likely to die from cancer
  • and 60 per cent more likely to develop it.

No biological reason why that should be so – men’s bodies not made differently to women’s. Thought to be:

  • men not being as health conscious as women, so more prone to risks that lead to cancer
  • down-playing early symptoms and reluctance to visit doctors and ask for advice - Cancer is much more curable if caught early.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission published a report in 2007 (when they were the EOC) highlighting 5 areas of life where there is persistent inequality:

  • income -Women who work full-time earn, on average, 17% less per hour than men working full-time. For women who work part-time, the gap in pay relative to full-time men is a huge 38% per hour. The causes of the pay gap are complex – in part to do with discrimination; in part because women are more likely than men to work in low paid sectors; and in part because women often have to ‘trade down’ or face other work and pay penalties once they become mothers. Implications for pensions and poverty in old-age. Worse for minority ethnic women. Marjorie Scardino – highest paid female director –paid less than top 20 highest paid men.
  • supporting modern families – men find it more difficult to access flexible working that enables more of a balance between work and family life - 54 per cent of fathers with children under one stated that they felt they spend too little time with their children; current parental leave legislation makes it difficult and expensive for men to take time off when their child is born, but where they do it leads to them taking a more involved role in caring for their children.
  • access to public services – such as education, health care and public transport. In education, concern that boys are underperforming and education system favours girls – some boys benefit from starting school later; some girls benefit from GCSE-style coursework. Lot been done within education to address these differences; also need to recognise the complexity of factors that affect educational attainment. Still stereotyped apprenticeships:
  • 3% of apprentices on childcare courses and 8% on hairdressing courses are men.
  • In engineering 3% of apprentices are women, and in construction only 1% are women

Health care – as above

  • tackling violence – women much more likely to be on the receiving end of gender-based violence – 80% of victims of domestic violence cases are women; of 20% of male victims, half of their abusers are women – can be difficult for men to access support and admit they need help. Rape conviction rate is falling – just 6% - and services for rape victims are inconsistent across the country so thought that 95% of women never report an attack in the first place. Increased concern this year about sexual bullying in schools – one survey found that ¼ 16-year-old girls have been hit or hurt by their boyfriends; ¼ of 14 year old girls have been forced to have sex or do something sexual by their boyfriends. Government has asked anti-bullying alliance to produce advice for schools on the issue.
  • sharing power – stats earlier on leadership in business and politics.

Catalyst, a New York thinktank, has published a list of the barriers that stop women getting to board level.

  • Top of the list is women’s lack of management experience, closely followed by
  • women’s exclusion from informal networks;
  • stereotypes about women’s abilities;
  • a lack of role models;
  • a failure of male leadership;
  • family responsibilities,
  • and naivety when it comes to company politics.

And of course all of these contribute to the first – a vicious circle.

Gender Equality Duty

  • all public bodies from April 2007 – hospitals, local authorities, universities and so on – need to eliminate discrimination and provide equality of opportunity.
  • What are the different needs of women and men, and how can we meet them?"
  • Do our spending priorities reflect these different needs?
  • Recognition that equality of opportunity doesn’t necessarily come from men and women being treated identically
  • Emphasis is on public bodies being proactive – gather information; assess impact of policies and practices; set objectives; take action to achieve them and review progress..

Bureaucracy and paper work? Doesn’t apply to churches, charities and other organisations – should it?

How does this relate to churches and Christian organisations? What we’re discussing today…

  • Do Christians believe in equality or ‘equality but…?
  • Theological issues, particularly for churches. How is that communicated? explicitly or implicitly
  • Thriving in ministry: (not dualistic – we can all minister – but we’re talking about Christian orgs and churches.)
  • a rich and wide arena of possibilities for serving God in all areas of life
  • freedom to follow gifts and callings
  • opportunities to help develop those gifts and callings – mentoring, training, role models, opportunities to be stretched
  • access to opportunities
  • Our survey last year highlighted a number of issues of concern – not claiming this is representative - around 250 people responded – but worthy of consideration and needs to be heard. One sided – we asked what are the issues facing women in youth work? Is there a need to ask what are the issues for men?
  • Inequality between men and women in the work environment (men being paid more / men finding better support due to similarities with male managers / women exposed to sexism from colleagues, young peoples parents, church members / women’s gifts not recognised)
  • Lack of leadership training available for women (both youth workers, and young women being worked with), along with a feelings of negligence in terms of equipping and encouragement in their roles.
  • Lack of opportunities to use / develop gifts (especially in speaking / teaching / writing). A feeling that Christian circles were ‘cliquey’ and that they did not feel they could ‘break into’ them.
  • More knowledge needed on legal / HR issues such as contracts / maternity entitlements / line management. – feeling that church is lagging behind.
  • The predominant issue was the patriarchal nature of organisations / churches / leadership leading to inherited and institutional (as well as personal) sexism - The very set up, nature, implementation and aspirations of ‘hierarchy / leadership’ are dictated by men.
  • Lack of positive female role models within church / organisation / life. Respondents asking how to be leaders without becoming overly masculine (men = confident / women = bossy).
  • Not being heard / taken seriously (by colleagues, male leaders, congregations, organisations, young peoples parents).

Highlights number of concerns that we felt were worth exploring more – hence today. Hand over to Sharon who is going to facilitate some discussion – opportunity to raise questions in that, and at end of day.