Equalities Minister Lynne Feathersone has launched 'Strengthening Women's Voices in Government' a document which sets out the governments proposals for engaging and listening to women after the disbanding of the Women's National Commission.  You can submit your views and feedback on the proposals until 10th June.  Read more   

Meanwhile one way of women engaging with government seems to have been closed off.  The Office for Civil Society has announced it's Strategic Partners and there are no equalites organisations among them - the number of partners has been reduced and the  Women's Resource Centre have been a casualty of this.  See partners here. 

This week the President of the European Union hosts Europe for Families, Families for Europe.  The European Women's Lobby have issued a statement to coincide with the event calling for equality between women and men to be at the heart of the EU's family policies.  Read the EWL statement   The EU Presidency is currently with Hungary, whose new constitution threatens the right to abortion and has a limited definition of a family as a union between a man and a woman.  Read more

The new European Directive on Trafficking has been adopted by the European Council - see here.  The UK government had been one of the last states to sign up, stating that current laws were strong enough.  In the face of a campaign by women's groups and anti-slavery groups the government have finally signed.   Read more

Age UK are campaigning against government proposals to speed up the equalisation of the state pension age which will affect an estimated 2.6 million women.  The proposals will leave many women without time to make proper provision for their retirement .  Women already have a retirement income on average 53% of men's and a recent study has found that a quarter of women will live below the poverty line when they retire.    See the  Age UK campaign