Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 7:00 pm on 24 January 2018.
This week, as I said earlier on, marks the fortieth anniversary of Welsh Women's Aid. When we started work in Welsh Women's Aid, we were determined both to support those affected by domestic violence, but also to campaign for change. We have made progress since 1978, with Wales leading the way in the UK with the landmark violence against women Act and the appointment of national advisers; but as always, it is one step forward and one step back. A shocking new report from the Fawcett Society claims that abuse and harassment against women is endemic in the UK and justice for women has been set back by cuts to legal aid and the introduction of universal credit.
As Siân has highlighted, progress appears to be stalling on closing the gender pay gap. We've got Davos this week—the World Economic Forum has predicted that women will have to wait 217 years before they earn as much as men. Moving forward, Harriet Harman successfully introduced the Equality Act 2010 in the last Labour Government, resulting in a clause, which will come into force in April, requiring every company of 250 or more employees to publish its gender pay gap. I welcome that step forward, but I back your call, Siân, for gender equality in our Senedd, and I will work with you and women across the Chamber to achieve it.