Investigating the Economic Determinants of the UK Gender Equality Policy Agenda

Abstract

Promoting certain kinds of gender equality—such as promoting and supporting female participation in paid work or male engagement with unpaid care work—is costly. Yet, there has been little examination in gender and policy research of the economic determinants of gendered policy change. In this article we investigate, using graphs and descriptive analysis derived from three data sets, whether the agenda‐setting possibilities of feminist policy actors pushing for redistributive gender policy are constrained by economic conditions. Our hypotheses are that it is easier to get costly gender equality policies on the agenda, first, when the economy is growing and, second, when advocates utilise an economic case to frame their arguments. We find that gender equality policy agendas in the UK appear to follow periods of positive economic performance and that economic framing of gender equality policy is essential.

The profile of gender equality issue attention in Western Europe

“…Flagging issue distinctiveness in this way helps the recognition that each gender equality issue ‘involves a distinct set of actors, activates different cleavages and conflicts and has distinct implications for gender relations’ (Htun & Weldon : 208). So, for example, welfare policies to promote women's access to employment might be more likely to reach the government agenda in countries with a strong social democratic tradition or in countries where a large number of women have access to the resources associated with government office (Annesley & Gains ).…”

“…A final explanation for the emergence of different kinds of gender equality issue attention relates to economic factors. The impact of economic performance on gender equality advocates’ chances of gaining policy attention has been so far under‐researched (Annesley & Gains ; Annesley et al. ).…”

Walking into the Footprint of EU Law: Unpacking the Gendered Consequences of Brexit

“…Annesley and Gains (2013) identified a clear trend in the last forty years whereby most developments in gender equality legislation in the UK have either been the result of European requirements or of key initiatives by the Labour government. The consideration of UK past behaviour helps us to understand continuity and change in government priorities in relation to EU and gender equality policies.…”

“…The relationship between the UK and the EU should not be seen as unidirectional (see Hantrais, 2018). There is clear evidence of the impact of European legislation on the development of national equality policies, specifically when the Conservative party held power (Annesley and Gains, 2013). However, the UK bias in favour of de-regulation also filtered into the negotiations, limiting the scope of key policy initiatives, e.g.…”

Gender budgeting in Scotland: A work in progress

“…The importance of the decision-making 'venue' and engagement with the core executive has been increasingly highlighted as essential to advancing gender equality policy (Annesley & Gains, 2012;Annesley et al, 2014). SWBG has understood this dynamic from the outset in an approach that is characterised and driven by a focus on the budget process together with the essential engagement with finance officials and ministers.…”