Changes to womens lifes in inter-war Britain Essay

Changes to womens lifes in inter-war Britain - Essay Example These changes contributed immensely to the attainment of equal rights with men. The purpose of this paper is to explore the changes in women’s lives during the interwar period in Britain. More specifically, the paper will examine the changes in women’s lives with regard to health, work, and politics. In the interwar period, women’s lives in Britain improved, especially in the realms of work, health, and politics. Women suffrage movements gained momentum, and their popularity gained widespread recognition throughout Britain. Consequently, women oppression declined considerably as women sought equal representation in the various aspects of their daily life (Laybourn 1999, p.114). One of the areas in which women made remarkable progress was in the field of employment. Unlike the years before the war, the interwar period saw women work issues addressed with numerous efforts being put in place to ensure that employment rights of women in Britain were looked into with a lot of keenness (Constantine 1983, p.33). From 1918 to 1939, the number of British working in industries rose significantly. In 1914, the number of women employed in British industries and other casual occupations was only 2000; by 1920, the number stood at 247, 000. The increase in the number of working women in Britain led to an increment in the real wages; this had an impact on household incomes, which increased considerably. Consequently, the status of women improved as they had the ability to provide for themselves and not necessarily depend on their husbands. The industrial position of women experienced some revolution as a result of the war. Women got an opportunity to work in the paid labour market, where they could be fairly remunerated for the work they did. British women gained profound freedom during the interwar period. They formed trade unions and lobby groups, which advocated for their rights at the workplace and their recognition as crucial players in economic deve lopment (Eichengreen 1988, p. 149). The formation of trade unions was mostly precipitated by the efforts of the League and Guild women. Some of the most influential trade unions formed during this period included the National Federation of Women Workers (NFWW), the Railway Women’s Guild (RWG) and Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL). The number of women working in the civil service also increased significantly. In 1911, the number of British women in the workplace used to be 33, 000, but this number had increased to 102, 000 in 1921. British women had an opportunity to advocate for their rights in the workplace through the introduction of "Sex Disqualification Removal Act, in 1919. This act gave women a chance to enter certain professions, which were previously preserved for men. In addition, about two million British women replaced men in employment positions. From July 1914 to December 1918, the total number of employed women in Britain increased from 24 percent to 37 p ercent. Working conditions of women in Britain also improved considerably during the interwar period (Constantine 1983, p.34). The enactment of the Industrial Courts Act of 1919 also heightened trade union activities during the interwar period (Eichengreen 1988, p.151). Between 1918 and 1930, Britain witnessed the passing of about 23 legislations, which aimed at according women equal rights with men. The influx of women in