91猎奇

Birmingham Women鈥檚 Committee in the 1980s

In May 1984 the new Labour Council in Birmingham set up a Women鈥檚 Committee. Its primary purpose was to consider the position of women in relation to all Council services and to strengthen the links between the Council and women in the community. Barbara Webster was appointed as Head of the Women鈥檚 Unit to support the Committee.

The Barbara Webster Collection contains over 250 items related to the work of the Women鈥檚 Unit between 1984 and 1988.听听The first part of the Collection contains material specific to creating links with women in Birmingham 鈥� reports, documents, posters, photographs, publicity material and press articles. It focusses on four specific projects:听

• 鈥淔rom the Heart of the City鈥� photographic exhibition about Birmingham women听
• 鈥淲orth Paying For鈥� exhibition about women and low pay听
• 鈥淕etting Together鈥� directory of women鈥檚 groups and organisations
• 鈥淲omen Celebrate鈥� a women鈥檚 festival organised for International Women鈥檚 Day

Pictured right:听Labour Research, an edition of the journal exploring issues facing women in parliament, published by LRD publications in 1991.

The second part provides a wider context relating to women鈥檚 issues in the 1980鈥檚 鈥� Everywoman magazines, Trade Union/Greater London Council publications and pamphlets. 听听

Barbara Webster wrote an Introduction to the Collection, which also highlights issues for women鈥檚 equality that were current at the time.听听The Collection is dedicated to three pioneers for women鈥檚 equality in Birmingham鈥� Councillor Trudy Livingstone, Chair of the Women鈥檚 Committee; Councillor Theresa Stewart, Member of the Women鈥檚 Committee and later the first female Leader of the Council, and Rhonda Wilson MBE, Photographer and Graphic Designer.听

Dr听Annette Naudin听used this collection as a听basis for the research for听迟丑别听Gender Equality 40 Years On Podcast.听This podcast series introduces the work and activism of Birmingham based women. The research project conducted by Dr. Annette Naudin investigates women鈥檚 contributions to addressing gender equality in Birmingham, UK. The Barbara Webster Collection was the starting point for a research project which included an exhibition, roundtable discussion and a series of oral history podcasts produced by Dr. Siobh谩n Stevenson.

Find out more about the research project听40 Years on Gender Equality: exploring the role of arts and culture in local politics.