9 February 2012
The
Women's Equality Network has launched today as Mark Thompson admits he got it wrong on older women and that there are ‘manifestly too few older women broadcasting on the BBC’
The aims of WEN are:
- to provide peer to peer support for women facing discrimination and other problems in the workplace,
- to provide women with a safe forum where they can share their experiences through various blogs,
- for women to give each other support and advice to help them resolve difficult issues at work,
- to provide links to websites with useful legal advice and to organisations who provide free advic
Miriam's story
Miriam O’Reilly is a patron of WEN which is also supported by Leigh Day.
Miriam’s experience of discrimination left her feeling isolated, distressed and unsure of her own abilities, despite having won a number of journalist awards including the British Environment Media Award for Best Environmental Story; the Foreign Press Award and the Royal Television Society Award for Best Documentary for a programme about depleting fish stocks off the West African coast in 2005. Taking legal action against an employer, especially one as powerful as the BBC, because of any type discrimination can be a frightening prospect without the support of family, friends and colleagues. Miriam hopes that WEN will help women facing discrimination in the workplace by offering peer to peer support and advice.
She says of the network:
“The feeling that you are on your own and no-one cares, is something women experiencing discrimination have said to me time and time again. We want women to know they are not alone and we do care”
Press enquiries, contact
Sharon Steward on
020 7650 1319
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