Bristol takes the pledge

A pledge to put an end to gender-based violence was the centrepiece of a day-long event at the M Shed earlier this month celebrating International Women’s Day. 

The origins of this lie back in 2013 when mayor George Ferguson made Bristol the first UK city to sign the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life. There was some joking at the M-Shed that George had done nothing since, but actually what he had done was set up a Women’s Commission to look into issues facing women in Bristol, and report back. The pledge is one of the results of that work.

The core purpose of the pledge, which you can find on the City Council website, is to commit the city to zero tolerance of gender-based violence, abuse and exploitation. Organizations all over the city are being encouraged to sign, and a list of those that have will be posted to the Women’s Commission page on the City Council website. Representatives from the Police, First Bus, the two local universities and Bristol College were on hand at the M-Shed proudly waving their signed pledges.

Of course taking a pledge is easy. What really matters is whether doing so causes any real change in your behaviour. Penny Gane, the Chair of the Women’s Commission, was keen to point out that their pledge required much more than a signature. In particular they ask signees, “To take action in at least one of the following areas, where we can make the most difference:

• Training
• Awareness raising
• Review of Policies and procedures
• Initiatives
• Creation of safe spaces

What is more, they do plan to follow up on people who sign to find out what they are doing to fulfil this part of the pledge. Again that’s not an easy process, but it is good to see that the Women’s Commission and City Council don’t see this just as a PR exercise.

Another interesting thing about the pledge is that it isn’t just about violence against women. It talks instead about “gender-based violence, abuse and exploitation”. Obviously violence against women is a massive issue, and most of the work of the pledge will end up combatting that. However, it is good to recognise that gender-based violence against men, and against non-binary people, does happen. Also this will neatly silence those sad puppies who, every International Women’s Day, take to Twitter to ask, “Why is there no International Men’s Day?” (It is November 19, we told you last year and you have forgotten, again.)

Any Bristol organisation that would like to take the pledge, or has questions about it, is encouraged to contact the Equalities Team at the City Council. I look forward to seeing lots of major organisations signing up, and to reports from the Women’s Commission detailing exactly what has been done. What we need now is some means of measuring how effective the pledge is being at meeting its declared target.

Image: kozer / shutterstock