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The Gender Duty - Consultation

and update on changes to equality legislation

This event took place on 9th January 2006 at 10:30am (10:30 GMT)
Berrill Lecture Theatre, The Open University, Walton Hall Campus, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Guest speakers
Ian Shaw, Deputy Director, and Head, Gender Duty Team, Women and Equality Unit (WEU), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Vanessa Gwynn, Corporate Director Learning and Development, Milton Keynes Council
Julie Ashdown, Opportunity Now - the UK's leading membership organisation working towards gender equality and diversity in the workplace


To ensure the public sector can better meet the needs of men and women, a public sector duty to promote gender equality, known as the 'gender duty' has been proposed as part of the Equality Bill published in May 2005. This event will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about the Government's proposals for a 'gender duty' which will have an institutional impact on the University, and enable participants to put questions/views directly to the Head of the Gender Duty Team at the WEU.

This event is aimed at:
  • Staff responsible for development of policy and practices in employment and service delivery e.g. Human Resources, Student Services, course delivery.
  • Staff working in procurement and contracting out of University functions.
  • Members of course teams, particularly those aiming to attract more men or women to courses or programmes.
  • Anyone with an interest in gender equality issues.
This is a University event which will be attended by other public sector organisations.

10.30am Doors open

11.00am Welcome and administration brief by the Head of Equal Opportunities, The Open University, Mr Derek Child

11.02am Welcome and introductions by Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Staff), Professor Brigid Heywood

11.10am Speaker: Mr Ian Shaw - The public sector duty to promote gender equality the 'gender duty'

11.30am Speaker: Ms Vanessa Gwynn - The gender duty from the perspective of Milton Keynes Council

11.40am Speaker: Ms Julie Ashdown - The gender duty from the perspective of Opportunity Now

11.50am Speaker: Ms Penny Burgoine, Equal Opportunities Office, the OU - The gender duty from the perspective of The Open University

12.00 Speaker: Mr Ian Shaw - Update on emerging changes in equality legislation

12.20pm Q and A chaired by the Head of Equal Opportunities, The Open University, Mr Derek Child

12.55pm Closing remarks by Mr Derek Child

1.00pm Close

Further information (These links are available to OU staff only)

OU intranet - The Gender Duty p4_10

Equality Bill equality_bill

Public Sector Duty on Gender Equality (Gender Duty) gender_duty

Consultation document gender_duty_oct2005.pdf

Milton Keynes Council www.miltonkeynes.gov.uk

Opportunity Now opportunity_now

Equal Opportunities Commission page=17606

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