W.E.L.’s aims achieved

Press, 23 July 1976, Page 10

W.E.L.’s aims achieved

The Women’s Electoral Lobby achieved its aims for its first year of existence by forcing women’s rights to become an important election issue for the first time, said the convener of the Christchurch branch of W.E.L. (Ms Joan Rotherham) at the annual general meeting on Wednesday.

! W.E.L. acted as a pressure group for and about women, ! women who are at home and who work outside the home, said Ms Rotherham. “We consider it important that we should maintain independence by continuing to avoid affiliation to any political party or organisation,” she said. W.E.L. had two aims for 1977—t0 interest women in standing for local body elections and to continue to lobby i the Government for the im- | piementation of election promises, said Ms Rother[ham. Among those promises ! were the provision of free i contraception, greater jobretraining opportunities, the passing of legislation to remove legal discrimination against women and a promise to give full consideration Ito the recommendations of i the Select Committee on ’Women’s Rights.