Sally-Anne Burris
Split the Difference CIC grew from five years comparative research, nationally and internationally, looking at legislation, guidance and policy and whether there was equality/equity for men and women.
At the end of the first year of the research Sally-Anne Burris found that while the world was asking for equality for women and girls, in fact it was men and boys who were not receiving any where near the same level of support for their needs as women and girls were.
Sally-Anne says: “In prime areas, for example education, health, family court, policing, domestic abuse and more, men and boys needs were no where near as understood or supported, to the level where it was clearly discriminatory.
Sally-Anne went on to look internationally for best practice, countries that were working from a place of equity in their services but after looking at over 15 countries realised this was a world-wide issue.
Sally-Anne says: “Identifying common narratives in legislation and guidance I realised there was a common, influencing body guiding the narrative and eventually traced all of that back to the United Nations.
Split the Difference has specific target areas, but Sally-Anne believes that there is only one way to solve the imbalance and discrimination boys and men experience in every single service and that is for the United Nations to create a UN Men.
Sally-Anne says: “50% of the world population are men, they hold the highest stats of service neglect in every area, it cannot continue, it is discriminatory, and does not align with equality and human rights.”
Sally-Anne spends her time campaigning and trying to raise funds to support the work she and volunteers commit to.
Sally-Anne says: “When I started my research, talking to people about the needs of men and boys was challenging.
“Behind closed doors politicians, academics, the service industry all were happy to listen and agreed but professional courage was absent and getting support was incredibly difficult. “There is a marked difference over the last two years, ours and other peoples challenges to discriminatory government departments and the awakening of society to the needs of men and boys has started opening strong, meaningful conversations.