£1.97 Million Awarded to Support Reproductive Health Issues in the Workplace
As part of the Government's Women's Health Strategy for England it has awarded £1.97 million to 16 organisations to help support women who experience reproductive health issues in the workplace.
The 16 organisations, including for example Best Beginnings, Endometriosis UK, Fertility Network UK, and Mind, successfully applied to this year's Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Fund, and the award will be divided amongst them. The fund will support women's reproductive wellbeing, including the menopause, fertility issues and miscarriage, and it aims to help them remain in and return to the work place.
The Women's Health Strategy was published in July 2022 and sets out a 10 year action plan and key objectives. The key objectives for health in the workplace include:
- women feeling able to speak openly about their health and to be confident that they will be supported by their employer
- women feeling supported at work when experiencing women's health issues
- women's work colleagues feeling better equipped to support them by the provision of information and awareness
- employer's feeling better equipped to support female employees and implement best practice
- the provision of better information about the potential impact caring responsibilities have on carers' lives and carers feeling better supported at work
