Brexit could have a profound and negative impact on women’s equality in the United Kingdom (UK), according to a recent study published in the Journal of Social Policy and Society. The study’s authors based their findings on a review of the UK’s approach to gender equality issues in the European Union and in the UK, including the country's voting record in the Council of the European Union. They argue that, “business interests [in the UK] have historically taken precedence over women's rights when negotiating terms with the EU.”
Additionally, they point to the heavy emphasis on trade and the economy in negotiations surrounding the UK’s withdrawal from the EU and the lack of consideration of how Brexit will impact broader societal issues like gender equality. Many advances in women’s equality in the UK were the direct result of European requirements, thus, “European legislation affords a degree of protection to women in the UK, but once we leave Europe there is no guarantee that the same levels of protection will remain intact.”
The study, “Walking into the Footprint of EU Law: Unpacking the Gendered Consequences of Brexit,” by Roberta Guerrina and Annick Masselot is available from Cambridge University Press.
Compiled from: Brexit is one of the greatest threats to women's rights: study, University of Surrey (January 25, 2018).