Women's National Commission
Encyclopedia
The Women's National Commission (WNC) was a United Kingdom
advisory non-departmental public body
(NDPB), it was set up in 1969 to advise government on women's views and to act as an umbrella body for UK-based women's groups in their dealings with government.
Until the 1990s, it was run by an executive, as voted for by its 'partners'. These were women's groups that had applied for and gained formal membership, the number of groups allowed to become members was limited to fifty. The government appointed a co-chair to manage the body, together with the elected chair.
After a review of the organisation in the late 1990s, it was relaunched as an NDPB. The government gave up its permanent co-chair position and removed the limit on the number of partner organisations it could have affiliated. Partners then ceased to have a formal role in running the body. The Minister for Women then became responsible for appointing a board of Commissioners and a Chair, who would represent all partners and the wider women's movement.
The WNC was prominent within the UK women's sector, but virtually unknown to the wider public or non-affiliated groups.
In July 2007, Harriet Harman
the newly appointed Minister for Women, announced that it would have a new role in consulting with women, to discover what they felt she should be doing as Minister.
In October 2010, it was announced that the WNC would close on 31 December 2010 as part of the review of all NDPBs
by the UK Government.. It has now closed. A "legacy document" has been published to show the work that it had undertaken, and proposed next steps.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
advisory non-departmental public body
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
(NDPB), it was set up in 1969 to advise government on women's views and to act as an umbrella body for UK-based women's groups in their dealings with government.
Until the 1990s, it was run by an executive, as voted for by its 'partners'. These were women's groups that had applied for and gained formal membership, the number of groups allowed to become members was limited to fifty. The government appointed a co-chair to manage the body, together with the elected chair.
After a review of the organisation in the late 1990s, it was relaunched as an NDPB. The government gave up its permanent co-chair position and removed the limit on the number of partner organisations it could have affiliated. Partners then ceased to have a formal role in running the body. The Minister for Women then became responsible for appointing a board of Commissioners and a Chair, who would represent all partners and the wider women's movement.
The WNC was prominent within the UK women's sector, but virtually unknown to the wider public or non-affiliated groups.
In July 2007, Harriet Harman
Harriet Harman
Harriet Ruth Harman QC is a British Labour Party politician, who is the Member of Parliament for Camberwell and Peckham, and was MP for the predecessorPeckham constituency from 1982 to 1997...
the newly appointed Minister for Women, announced that it would have a new role in consulting with women, to discover what they felt she should be doing as Minister.
In October 2010, it was announced that the WNC would close on 31 December 2010 as part of the review of all NDPBs
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
by the UK Government.. It has now closed. A "legacy document" has been published to show the work that it had undertaken, and proposed next steps.
2010 Board members
The WNC had a publicly appointed board of Commissioners that oversaw its work- Baroness Joyce GouldJoyce Gould, Baroness Gould of PotternewtonJoyce Brenda Gould, Baroness Gould of Potternewton is a British pharmacist, trade unionist and politician.The daughter of Sydney and Fanny Manson, she was educated at the Roundhay High School for Girls and the Bradford Technical College in pharmacy. Gould worked then as pharmaceutical dispenser...
(Chair) - Olivia Bailey
- Jan Floyd-Douglass
- Bronagh Hinds
- Adele Baumgardt
- Brita Fernandez Schmidt
- Baroness Haleh Afshar
- Beatrix CampbellBeatrix CampbellMary Lorimer Beatrix Campbell, OBE is a British campaigning journalist and author.Since the mid 1970s, she has published numerous articles and book reviews in such publications as Marxism Today, Red Rag, Time Out, Feminist Review, New Statesman, New Socialist, The Guardian, The Independent,...
- Mary-Ann Stephenson
- Helen JacksonHelen JacksonHelen Margaret Jackson CBE is a British politician. She was Labour member of Parliament for Sheffield Hillsborough from 1992 until she stepped down at the 2005 general election....
- Vivienne Hayes
- Ann Henderson
- Juliet LyonJuliet LyonJuliet Lyon CBE is the director of the Prison Reform Trust.-External links:*...
- Sarah Veale CBECBECBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
Policy Areas of the Commission
- Violence against Women (VAW)Violence against womenViolence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
- International
- Equalities
- Women in Public Life
- Migration and Asylum