News

Public gender duty to spark major cultural change

CBI question women's enterprise progress

LDA pioneer gendered enterprise targets

Sharp increase in female graduate enterprise

Prejudice about women entrepreneurs still rife

Petition the EU to stop gender equality cut backs

LEGI proposals to reflect women's enterprise targets

Prowess members news

Train 2000 aim to boost capacity of business advice sector

WIN launch new website for women entrepreneurs

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News

Public gender duty to spark major cultural change Proposals for a public sector 'Gender Equality Duty' will require all public authorities to actively promote equality rather than solely take steps to prevent discrimination. The Women and Equality Unit have launched a consultation on the duty, which will be open for responses until Dec 2005. Under the proposals public sector organisations would be required to set 'gender equality targets, produce, publish and update gender equality action plans every 3 years and to conduct gender impact assessment on all new policy'. The Women's Resource Centre will be holding a free information event on the new duty on 13 October - for further details call Darlene on 020 7324 3036. Download the consultation document from 6 October at: http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/

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CBI question women's enterprise progress The CBI has called into question the Government's progress on encouraging enterprise amongst under-represented groups. In their new report 'The Small Business Service five years on' the CBI notes that 'despite some evidence of female entrepreneurship increasing, with the self-employment rate rising slightly from 2000, it has increased at a much slower rate than the male self-employment rate. In fact the percentage of self-employed people who are female has actually fallen since 2000' (Labour Force Survey 2005).The CBI welcomes the establishment of the Women's Enterprise Panel but emphasises how much more needs to be done if the Government's women's enterprise targets for 2006 are to be met. Download a copy of the report at: http://www.cbi.org.uk/ndbs/press.nsf/0/fd42a32f1e2c9f90802570580055c73d?OpenDocument

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LDA pioneer gendered enterprise targets The London Development Agency (LDA) has become the first of the Regional Development Agencies (RDA) to include gender disaggregated targets in their enterprise policy. The new LDA Corporate Plan specifies the percentage of 'businesses assisted to improve their performance' which must be women owned. Download the plan at: http://www.lda.gov.uk/server/show/nav.001005006003. Meanwhile 6 of the 9 RDAs currently have their regional economic strategies under consultation. Prowess is seeking to ensure women's enterprise is firmly on the agenda as an economic imperative. Members can download all Prowess consultation responses in the 'Representation' section of the website at: http://www.prowess.org.uk/members/members.htm

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Sharp increase in female graduate enterprise The proportion of female graduates under 25 starting up in business rose to 32% in 2004 from 26% in 2003, according to new research from Barclays Bank. Lorna Collins of the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE), welcomed the news adding that ‘over half the students and graduates short listed to work with NCGE mentors are women, promising more role models for the future’. The figures also reveal that entrepreneurial activity amongst graduates of any age in the UK has grown by over a quarter since 2003. 99,600 graduate businesses were founded in 2004, the highest level ever recorded. Download the Barclays press release at: http://www.newsroom.barclays.co.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=399&NewsAreaID=2

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Prejudice about women entrepreneurs still rife Business is still considered to be a male affair and the professional environment is full of gender stereotypes according to a new findings from the Eurochambres Women Network. In a survey of 1500 female entrepreneurs across Europe, women said they still faced attitudes such as 'women are less credible in business then men' and that 'men should not have a female boss'. In a bid to counter the negative perceptions, the Chambers have launched a new brochure celebrating women entrepreneurs who have succeeded in traditionally male-dominated sectors. The publication can be downloaded at: http://www.eurochambres.be/women_chase/publications.shtml

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Petition the EU to stop gender equality cut backs No special action programmes to promote gender equality are included in the EU programming period 2007 - 2013. In a bid to streamline existing employment and social programmes the EU Commission is proposing one integrated scheme - PROGRESS. The new initiative will see gender equality resources cut from €107,25m to € 54,55m. If the EU does not explicitly make adequate budgetary provision for a gender equality strategy then all organisations currently working in the field of equality between men and women will be in danger. To sign a petition against the new proposals visit: http://www.nowa.at/genderequality/

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LEGI proposals to reflect women's enterprise targets Local authorities bidding for funding from the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) are being reminded of the Government's commitment to increase the number of women starting up in business. LEGI aims to promote enterprise in disadvantaged and under-represented areas. During the LEGI consultation period, Prowess and Prowess members emphasised that women are the most under-represented group in terms of enterprise in the country. A new document 'LEGI - Next Steps' has just been launched. It states that successful proposals should 'consider the needs of under-represented groups in enterprise development' and that 'the Government is committed to doing more to promote and support ethnic minority enterprise and to increase the number of women starting businesses'. Download the 'Next Steps' document at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/3A3/DF/next_steps_on_legi210705.pdf

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New Research

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Vacancies

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Prowess is a member of the Accelerating Women's Enterprise Mainstreaming Partnership which is part funded by the European Social Fund under the Equal Community Initiative Programme