Tag Archives: children

Campaigning will shift the climate, to end FGM in Britain

Posted on May 21, 2012 by PinkPolitika

FGM (female genital mutilation or ‘cutting’) is embarrassing for us in the mainstream of British life even to consider; but it’s excruciating and debilitating for its young victims. This is one topic where grown-up people must not permit their queasiness to over-rule … Continue reading →

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Smacking is NEVER the answer; violence begets only violence

Posted on January 31, 2012 by PinkPolitika

David Lammy MP is reported to believe that working class people should be allowed to smack their children within ‘reasonable’ limits.   Whether he also believes that (in the public perception?) banning the physical chastisement of children helped fuel the 2011 Summer … Continue reading →

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CSA charges: the ConDems punish women and children, and shield men (again)

Posted on January 26, 2012 by PinkPolitika

The ConDem administration doesn’t just disregard women; it evidently wants to put them firmly back under the control, however odious, of men. How else can we explain the intention as an element of the Welfare Reform Bill that single parents … Continue reading →

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Teachers, tasks and taking action

Posted on June 28, 2011 by PinkPolitika

Like most others, I have mixed views about the teachers’ pension strike scheduled for Thursday this week (30 June). Many years ago I too, incensed as a teacher by the past Conservative Government’s position, went on strike a few times; … Continue reading →

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FGM (female circumcision) is illegal and cruel – and culturally challengeable everywhere

Posted on February 6, 2011 by PinkPolitika

Today, 6 February, is the United Nations’ International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation. We must all face up to the facts; FGM happens in communities in the UK and Western Europe as well as elsewhere. In Britain debate this week is about ‘multiculturalism’ … Continue reading →

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Early years centres threatened by ConDem cloth ears

Posted on January 28, 2011 by PinkPolitika

My guess is that few (more likely, none) of the present Cabinet – has had personal, direct responsibility for the totally unaided care of a small child, let alone two or more small children, for 24+ hours, non-stop.  If I’m … Continue reading →

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Patronising paternalism about parental leave

Posted on January 18, 2011 by PinkPolitika

Two articles in today’s Times (18 January 2011) remind me yet again why there is so far still for women in the UK to go.   In one article, ‘Extra paternity pay is needed to free women, says Clegg’, we learn … Continue reading →

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Flu jabs: shifting targets from mortality to (short-term) money?

Posted on January 15, 2011 by PinkPolitika

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has now confirmed that a majority of pregnant women have not had flu jabs:  more than 70% remain unvaccinated.   Given the low immunity and raised vulnerability of this women expecting babies this is a very serious concern. In past … Continue reading →

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In fear of livelihoods; or only of luncheon? Some inequalities do justify shroud-waving

Posted on January 2, 2011 by PinkPolitika

‘Some of us are in fear of our livelihoods; others only of our luncheon.’ Thus, with beguiling directness, wrote Matthew Parris in his Times article yesterday (1 January 2011:  ‘Don’t kid yourselves. There must be victims’). ‘We are not … … Continue reading →

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