Charity launches biggest ever protest against maternity discrimination on Mother's Day

A charity is calling on the Government to address the issue of discrimination against mothers in Britain.

On Mother's Day 2018, Maternity Action is launching the largest campaign in its history to highlight the plight of the 54,000 women unfairly forced out of their jobs each year due to pregnancy and maternity discrimination.

For one day on London's South Bank, Maternity Action, which has teamed up with agency Mother, will display a public art exhibit called #54k. Each of the jobs lost by women in the UK annually, will be represented by a single white carnation - the flower originally chosen as the symbol of Mother's Day. 

The charity will urge Theresa May to take action to end this unfair treatment of women and mothers in the UK.

A study by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) earlier this year, reported a bias against working parents. Its survey of 1,106 employers in the UK, revealed that a third believe new and expectant mothers are “generally less interested in career progression” than their childless counterparts. Of those polled, 40 per cent claimed they had seen at least one woman in their company “take advantage” of their pregnancy. 

Nearly 60 per cent of employers surveyed said women should have to disclose a pregnancy during the recruitment process. Meanwhile, 36 per cent said it is reasonable to ask about their plans to start a family.

Previous research has shown that 40 per cent of employers avoid hiring a woman of childbearing age.

Maria Miller MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, said:  “The sphere of white flowers brings home the scale of the situation facing pregnant women and new mothers at work. There can be no place for discrimination against mothers or pregnant women in our society. As Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, I urge the Government to take urgent steps to bring this appalling form of discrimination to an end. The Government must deliver on its commitment to the Select committee to review the available legal protection from redundancy for pregnant women and new mothers.”

Rosalind Bragg, Director of Maternity Action, added: “It is 2018, yet one of the biggest barriers to gender equality in the workplace is the discrimination that mothers face. We want everyone to add their voice, sign our petition and encourage Government to act now to effect lasting change.”

The installation comes weeks after hundreds of women took to the streets around Britain for the 'March of the Mummies', organised by Pregnant Then Screwed, to campaign against the inequalities that exist for mothers in the workplace.

In January 2017, the Government committed to reviewing redundancy protections for mothers-to-be. 

To sign a petition calling for swift action on unfair redundancies, visit 54K.org.uk

For information and advice on maternity rights at work, see maternityaction.org.uk or call the free advice line on 0808 802 0029.