To mark International Women’s Day Wandsworth Labour will be debating gender inequality at the Full Council meeting which falls on March 8.

The group will table a motion to highlight the “disproportionate burden” on women. According to figures compiled by the House of Commons Library last year, women suffered 86 per cent of the tax hikes and benefit cuts introduced by the Government since 2010.

Reasons for this vary and include segregation in the labour market in that women and men still tend to go for different jobs. Women often work in lower paid sectors such as health and education where work is valued less in the business sector, for example.

Direct discrimination still goes on where women get paid less for the same job, although this accounts for a small part of the gender pay gap.

Traditions and stereotypes are responsible for a large part of the gap as men and women are still encouraged into different sectors. More men are encouraged into science, for example, and women into caring professions.

Candida Jones, joint deputy leader of Wandsworth Labour, said the figures show the UK is “still a long way from achieving a society where men and women have the same opportunities”.

She said: “We are using International Women’s Day to remind the Conservative-run council that women in Wandsworth often face particular struggles because caring responsibilities usually fall to them, which has an impact on their earning power and on their ability to improve their own circumstances.

“Hikes in the state pension age for women, maternity discrimination and public service cuts all mean that women have been at the extreme sharp end of this government’s austerity measures.   

She added: “International Women’s Day gives us an opportunity to shine a light on this inequality and ask for more assistance for the borough’s most vulnerable women”.

Conservative Cllr Steffi Sutters cabinet member communications said: “This is a rather unfortunate and politically motivated motion that selectively picks data to support their cause and ignores other facts that might tell a different story.

“As a national party we have elected two women leaders in recent times so I believe we are way ahead of the game on gender equality.

“We are also, as a council, fully aware of our responsibilities to all sections of society and as you would expect, carefully assess the impact of all our policies on women, people from ethnic minorities and those with disabilities before reaching any decisions.”

Tooting Labour will hold an event called Nevertheless She Persisted, on Thursday, March 9 the following night to celebrate local women in the area.

Local women will tell personal stories of adversity and triumph, and the event, held at the Sound Lounge Tooting from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, will include music, spoken word, comedy and politics.

It will be attended by people such as Wandsworth’s Young Person of the Year 2016 Mia Burgess, Jackie Defferary, who is currently directing the Taming of the Shrew at the Globe, and actor, comedy writer and journalist Carrie Quinlan.

Wandsworth Conservatives are also holding an event, Women’s Enterprise Day, which will take place on IWD, March 8 at Balham Bowls Club.

The event will celebrate the “success of local women and the contribution they make” to Wandsworth’s communities.

Kate Basset of Management Today and Maria Kempinska, CEO Jongleurs whose business began in Battersea, are speaking at the event, addressing an audience of female entrepreneurs alongside Merilee Karr, Amandip Uppal and Poppy Mardell.

The Full Council meeting will take place at 7.30pm at Wandsworth Town Hall.