Men need to understand feminism to tackle inequality says Carwyn Jones
Men have to understand feminism to tackle gender inequality, First Minister Carwyn Jones has said.
The Welsh Government has commissioned research to see what it needs to do to become a "feminist government". Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, Mr Jones said he wants to shape the direction of the government beyond the end of his term in December. The first minister announced his intention to step down at Welsh Labour conference in April. Mr Jones told the programme: "The very fact that a woman says 'I'm proud to be a woman and a feminist', the very fact that's seen as radical rather than normal - which it should be - shows how far we've got to go. "We've said we want to be a truly feminist government - we now have to live up to that." The first minister said the Welsh Government had commissioned research from Cardiff University "to give us an idea of what that needs to look like". 'Still intimidated' He said there was a need to avoid "feminism being seen as by and for women". "It is something that men have to understand... if we're really going to get to grips with gender equality," he said. Mr Jones said a "rapid review" had been put in place that will report back initially in the summer. He said attitudes still needed to change. "Women are still intimidated, vilified, harassed on social media," he said. The fact that 41% of senior civil servants are women is "better but still not good enough" and had to improve in future, the first minister said. Mr Jones added that shared parental leave was "where we have to go in the future" - although the issue is not devolved. He later told BBC Wales that he would be willing to learn from other countries such as Sweden on improving women's rights, and possibly go further.