Subjects as diverse as all-women shortlists, female role models, and reducing the voting age to 16 were discussed last Thursday at an event in Haverfordwest.

The ‘Question Time’ meeting in the council chamber at County Hall was a celebration of the centenary anniversary of female suffrage, and an opportunity to debate women’s issues today.

Questions were submitted by members of the public, as well as the audience, which included school council members, students, several mothers and daughters, and local councillors.

On the discussion panel were Bethany Roberts, chair of the Pembrokeshire Youth Assembly; Sue Leonard, chief officer of PAVS; Clr. Pat Davies, cabinet member for housing and regulatory services; Bernadine Rees OBE, chair of Hywel Dda Health Board, and Sharron Lusher, principal of Pembrokeshire College.

Speaking about women-only shortlists, Sue Leonard said: “If a woman gets appointed on an all-woman shortlist and everyone says you only got the job because you’re on an all-woman shortlist and you’re the token woman, you’re absolutely up against it.

“What I would like to see an end to is panels made up of all men. Panels need to be representative.”

Replying to a question on female role models, Clr. Pat Davies said she saw role models every day in communities across Pembrokeshire, at work, and elsewhere.

“They have a career but they also balance their lives,” she said. “They spend time with their children, they keep themselves healthy and fit, so that they can keep their families healthy and fit, and they get involved in things in their communities.”

An interesting discussion was prompted by the question ‘How can we provide meaningful choices to our girls and young women throughout their education, and into their adult lives, to enable them to have fulfilling careers and not be penalised if their choices include motherhood?’

Sharron Lusher talked about the importance of equality of information for young people on the careers available to them, and employer flexibility, adding: “The third thing is perhaps us all realising that we don’t have to do everything at once. It’s not absolutely necessary that we do everything in a strict order or that we try to be brilliant at everything all at the same time.

“For many of us, there is a time and place for many different things and it would be more gentle on ourselves if we realised that actually let’s just stagger what we need to do, or what we want to do.”

Replying to the question ‘Do you think men agree with Women’s rights?’ Bethany Roberts said: “I actually do believe that a lot of men agree with women’s rights, and a lot of men agree with feminism but without realising.

“I think in society today when you hear of women’s rights and feminism there’s a negative view and people would rather not call themselves a feminist as they see the extreme side. But I think if you asked the same people if they believe in equality, they would reply with yes, and I think people get confused between feminism and equality.”

On the issue of reducing the voting age to 16, Bernadine Rees said: “Irrespective of gender, we need to use what people have fought for us to get. I strongly believe if you’re working and you’re 16 there is a maturity about being able to contribute to the way that the country or local authority’s facilities are provided or not provided. You actually have a voice and we need to use that voice.”

The event was organised by Clr. Tessa Hodgson, cabinet member for social services, and Clr. Paul Hughes, chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council.

Supporting the event were the county council’s elections team, which provided information on the local elections process, and Pembrokeshire Archives, which put together an exhibition on the local suffrage movement.

The webcast for the meeting is available on Pembrokeshire County Council’s website www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/council