Channel 4 programme on Hampshire federation’s resolution to legalise brothels
Hampshire Federation of Women’s Institutes passed a resolution calling for legalisation of brothels in October 2007. The National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) is unable to comment on the resolution as it applies to the Hampshire Federation only and does not constitute a national mandate. The NFWI does not have a mandate from its membership to comment on the subject of prostitution and cannot, therefore, contribute to the discussion on any aspect regarding the ethics, legalisation, decriminalisation or criminalisation of prostitution.
The Hampshire Federation is one of 70 federations that make up the NFWI. Federations are independent charities, bound together by a common constitution. For a resolution to become a national mandate, it has to go through a resolution process involving debates at all levels, and culminating in a vote taken at the NFWI AGM. Resolutions passed by individual federations will only carry a federation mandate, not a national one.
The WI has always provided an educational and campaigning platform for members to improve and develop the lives of their communities and to give women a chance to work together. During its 93 years, the organization has passed a wide range of mandates on environmental and social issues.
In 1999, WI members passed a resolution to uphold women’s human rights – under this resolution they campaigned for rights of women in Zimbabwe. In 2004, WI members passed a resolution aiming to combat the trafficking of women and children and WI members have campaigned actively on this issue since then. The NFWI is a member of the End Violence Against Women coalition campaign which calls for a national government strategy to be put into place to end violence against women.
At this year’s NFWI AGM, WI members voted overwhelmingly in favour to stop the inappropriate imprisonment of the mentally ill which will form one of the key WI campaigns along with the campaign to end violence against women.