Call to Action

This International Women’s Day, the theme “Accelerate Action” is a call to push harder for gender equality. While progress has been made, financial independence remains one of the biggest challenges for women, with 22 percent living on a persistent low income, compared to 14 percent of men.

Many women struggle to find secure, well-paid employment due to lower earning power, caring responsibilities, and changing family structures. Minority Ethnic women are further impacted by intersecting social factors, such as having a greater likelihood of being a single parent or having a larger family. Part-time work, which many women rely on due to caregiving responsibilities, is also typically lower paid than full-time roles.

Eighteen years ago, only 10 per cent of our vendors were female. Today, that number has grown to around 40 percent. Our vendor audits show that women are more likely to face economic instability and job insecurity than men, often due to factors like relationship breakdowns and domestic abuse. Many of these women are also mothers, which further impacts their ability to work in more mainstream (and often higher wage) settings.

A considerable number of our female vendors come from Roma backgrounds, where traditional gender roles have limited access to education and employment. In these communities, women often marry young. They can be expected to focus on domestic responsibilities, leaving them with little opportunity to develop a traditional C.V. Many have never had the chance to enter formal education, which in turn affects their ability to access mainstream employment – only 13 percent of female vendors have had previous formal employment, compared to 67 percent of men. Language barriers and discrimination further compound employment difficulties.

Our vendor audits show that women are more likely to face economic instability and job insecurity than men. Many of these women are also mothers, which further impacts their ability to work in more mainstream settings.

Working to sell the magazine is one of the few accessible pathways to financial independence for a lot of our female vendors. It’s a role that offers flexibility – allowing them to work around caregiving responsibilities – whilst also providing an independent income. It can be a step toward stability and self-sufficiency. However, like any form of self-employment, it comes with challenges. On average, vendors earn £60 per week without sick pay or paid leave. When sales are low, or a vendor has to miss a day’s work, the impact is immediate.

Yet, despite these challenges, our female vendors are determined. Ana-Cristina, a vendor in Sheffield, has been selling the magazine for two years. Originally from Romania, she came to the UK to find work and support her family. Her story echoes the experiences of many of our female vendors, who juggle childcare with work while trying to build stability for their family: “When I am not selling the magazine, I look after my children. I have two children. My daughter is four and my son is two…At the moment, sales aren’t great. I don’t sell as much – sometimes I only sell two magazines a day.”

This International Women’s Day, as we think about accelerating action for gender equality, it is crucial that we recognise the realities faced by women everyday – particularly those facing financial hardship. Every purchase of the magazine helps a woman take another step toward financial independence. Every donation to The Big Issue North Trust ensures that vendors receive access to support, advice, and training opportunities that can help change their futures.

For more information about International Women’s Day, visit here.

If you would like to help us in our mission to support hundreds more people in need of work, please text BINORTH to 70970 to give £5, or visit www.justgiving.com/bigissuenorth.