Life in the UK Test

Chapter 2: A Changing Society

The changing role of woman

Families in the 19th century Britain (1801-1900) were large, poor but close knit.
women and children together contributed towards the family income

Women had fewer rights than men. Women continued to campaign for greater rights. Those women campaigners were called Suffragettes.

Chronology of events

• 1857- Married Women won their the right to divorce for the first time in British history.
• 1882- Woman's earnings and wealth is no longer automatically goes to her husband.
• 1918- Women over the age of 30 were given the right to vote and to stand for election to Parliament.
• 1928- Women over the age of 21 were given the right to vote and to stand for election to Parliament.
• 1970 s - Parliament passed new laws giving women the right to equal pay and prohibiting employers from discriminating against women because of their gender.

Women in Britain today

• Women make up 51% of total population but only 45% of the workforce.
These days girls leave school, on average, with better qualification than boys and there are now more women than men at university.
• Employment opportunities for women are much greater than they were in the past.
• Although Women are being employed in wide range of jobs than before they still dominate the traditional jobs such as teaching,nursing, caring, secretarial and retail work.

Despite all the developments and sex discrimination laws,average hourly pay rate for women is 20% less than for men.

Children and young people in Britain |next>>