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Equality minister launches new sexism enquiry

10/02/2009

Harriet Harman, the minister for women and equality has launched a new inquiry into workplace sexism.

The minister spoke out at sexist practices within City firms and pay discrepancies between male and female workers.

"The 'gender pay gap' in financial services is worse than in manufacturing, retail, or any other sector,” she noted.

Ms Harman said that women make up half of the financial services sector, but are paid 40 per cent less than men.

She noted that boards of city firms are "mostly a no-go area for women" and slammed the practice of visiting lap dancing bars.

"We need a real overhaul of the pay and prospects of women in the City. The Equality Commission will be using their legal powers to investigate this," she commented.

Recent research by womenintechnology.co.uk has found that more than half of women (58 per cent) believed their gender acted as a barrier to them reaching top jobs in IT.

 

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