If asked to name an important historical event that celebrates its 80^th anniversary this year, I’m sure most people would immediately name the Wall Street Crash of 1929, especially given the current economic climate. However, 1929 also bore witness to an event that, although less ground-shattering initially, produced reverberations that echoed for much, much longer.

The year 1929 saw the first British General Election to be conducted under what could truly be called “universal” suffrage, as it was the first election where all men and all women over the age of 21 were able to vote. This landmark year represented a momentous step forward for democracy and gender equality, but has gender equality developed as much as it should have done since the watershed that was 1929? The truthful answer is no, it has not.

Of course, much important progress has been made. In 1997, 120 women were elected to parliament- over a hundred more than at the 1979 General Election. This is representative of real progress, but it is still pitifully low for an elected body of almost 650 members. This is clearly an issue that desperately needs to be addressed, but how do we tackle such a massive discrepancy?

All-Women shortlists are not necessarily the way forward. They represent a short-term fixing of figures that ensures little genuine change in the long-term. Furthermore, they are essentially a defeatist tool that concedes that we cannot achieve greater gender equality whilst maintaining a level playing field. The difficulty of ensuring an adequate representation of women in parliament is symptomatic of a deeper problem in British society.

Quite simply, broader attitudes to women must be changed. This is a problem that goes to the very core of our society, an issue that permeates every basic level of British culture. To solve the problem of female participation, or the lack thereof, in British politics, we must first address the wider problems that blight our nation.

On average, British women still earn significantly less than their male colleagues. The average woman in full-time employment earns 17% less than her male counterpart. This is the equivalent of almost 9 weeks less pay per annum. The situation for part-time workers is even worse, with women earning a shameful 36% less than men.

It is astonishing that such a huge gulf can exist in an advanced modern democracy. This blatant example of gender discrimination must be brought to an end immediately through firm legislation and vigilant monitoring. Women must no longer be treated as second class citizens in the workplace, their contribution deserves to be valued equally. Although this is an appalling example of Britain’s attitude to women, I am sorry to say that there are statistics of a far more heinous nature of which the wider public are unaware.

Each year, in this country, which is supposedly one of the most civilised countries in the World, an estimated 3 million women experience violence. A staggering 45% of British women have experienced some form of violence, sexual assault or stalking during their lifetime, and it is conservatively estimated that 80,000 women are raped every year in the UK. Sometimes statistics seem hollow, but I urge you to remember that every single one of those women is a daughter, a sister, a partner, a mother. Each solitary number that contributes to the sum total represents an individual’s torment and suffering. This cannot, and must not, be ignored.

It is clear that sexism and misogyny persist to be often ignored problems in this country, and it cannot be denied that there is a certain attitude, which is generally negative towards women, deeply entrenched in British society. Clearly, this stems in large part from the objectification of women, which is becoming even more prominent in modern-day culture. Serious questions need to be asked about the media portrayal of women, which is so influential. Important moral questions need to be raised also. Why is there little, or no, stigma attached to visiting a strip-joint or a lap dancing club?

The key to tackling this massive issue is through education. Education is not limited to schools, colleges and universities either; it should extend to the workplace- both the public and private sectors. In order to build a Britain for tomorrow where gender equality is truly embraced, it is imperative that we take positive action to educate our younger generation about gender equality, and the importance of respect, tolerance and fairness.

However, as I have said, we must not limit ourselves to the education of tomorrow’s Britain; we have a duty to educate people of all ages, not just the young. Perhaps the best way to bring the feminist agenda into the mainstream is to convey to men, who may be put off by the “feminist” label, that it is less a matter of the “advancement” of women, and more a question of justice, equality and fairness; universal principles that should form the backbone of our society.

It is only through combating the negative attitudes in our society that we can truly hope to force a fundamental change that will, in the long-term, result in a more proportionate representation of women in parliament. This will take time, and it will not be easy, but it is achievable. Every piece of legislation that seeks to narrow the pay gap, that aims to put women on an equal footing to men, that strives to bring an end to sexual discrimination is not only a step towards victory for feminism, or socialism, but for humanity itself.