The European Union and Regional gender equality agendas: Wales in the shadow of Brexit

ABSTRACT

This article explores what the UK’s European Union membership has meant for the development of a distinctive, substate equalities agenda in Wales. An analysis of interview data through the lens of feminist institutionalism reveals European Union membership as integral to the emergence of Wales’ approach to gender equality, with Welsh equality advocates using access to European Union norms and funding to establish and legitimize more progressive institutions to advance equality, overcoming domestic resistance and gatekeeping. In turn, research exposes structural risks for Wales’ equalities agenda post-Brexit. Recent equality-related activity in Wales partially mitigates against post-Brexit risks, although vulnerabilities remain.

KEYWORDS:

• devolution
• European Union
• European Union Regions
• gender equality
• feminist institutionalism
• Wales

JEL:

• R1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors thank the three anonymous reviewers, the Associate Editor and the guest editor of the special issue, Professor Dan Wincott, for their valuable comments. They also extend their thanks to all the interviewees who shared their time and experience, and to all those who have worked in pursuit of gender equality in Wales. Thanks finally to Anne Stephenson, whose unpublished Master's dissertation provided valuable additional insights.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Chwarae Teg, which translates as Fair Play, predominantly focuses on women’s advancement in the workforce.