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| Downturn 'offers chance to women' | Downturn 'offers chance to women' |
| (1 day later) | |
| Women should see the recession as an "opportunity" to show how valuable they can be in the workplace, Cherie Blair has told the BBC's The Politics Show. | Women should see the recession as an "opportunity" to show how valuable they can be in the workplace, Cherie Blair has told the BBC's The Politics Show. |
| The human rights barrister and wife of former prime minister Tony Blair said firms were more likely to "take a chance" on a woman during the downturn. | The human rights barrister and wife of former prime minister Tony Blair said firms were more likely to "take a chance" on a woman during the downturn. |
| "This is an opportunity for women... to be part of the solution," she said. | "This is an opportunity for women... to be part of the solution," she said. |
| Mrs Blair also said "well-funded, well-resourced childcare" was the key to gender equality in the workplace. | Mrs Blair also said "well-funded, well-resourced childcare" was the key to gender equality in the workplace. |
| Speaking to BBC One's The Politics Show, Mrs Blair said companies that did employ women in key positions were often more successful. | Speaking to BBC One's The Politics Show, Mrs Blair said companies that did employ women in key positions were often more successful. |
| She said "diverse people on the boards" tended to do better "than boards that are all full of, dare I say it, white males in suits". | She said "diverse people on the boards" tended to do better "than boards that are all full of, dare I say it, white males in suits". |
| Mrs Blair continued: "This is an opportunity for women to show how much they can contribute and be part of the solution and not the problem. | Mrs Blair continued: "This is an opportunity for women to show how much they can contribute and be part of the solution and not the problem. |
| Reinforcing the system | Reinforcing the system |
| "You often find in times when things are going bad, that people are more prepared to take a chance and give a woman a chance. | "You often find in times when things are going bad, that people are more prepared to take a chance and give a woman a chance. |
| "It's often when business is in a crisis and it's trying to recruit somebody new and then men maybe think 'Well, I don't know whether I want to touch that', and this can often be an opportunity for a woman to come in and make a difference." | "It's often when business is in a crisis and it's trying to recruit somebody new and then men maybe think 'Well, I don't know whether I want to touch that', and this can often be an opportunity for a woman to come in and make a difference." |
| She conceded that her decision to take only the minimal amount of maternity leave had not helped the cause of women's rights. | She conceded that her decision to take only the minimal amount of maternity leave had not helped the cause of women's rights. |
| "I was so determined to prove that I could be a barrister and have my children," she said. | "I was so determined to prove that I could be a barrister and have my children," she said. |
| "At the time, I thought: 'I'm really striking a blow here for women's equality.' Looking back, I think actually all I was doing was reinforcing the system. | "At the time, I thought: 'I'm really striking a blow here for women's equality.' Looking back, I think actually all I was doing was reinforcing the system. |
| "The key to this, I'm convinced, is absolutely well-funded, well-resourced childcare." | "The key to this, I'm convinced, is absolutely well-funded, well-resourced childcare." |
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