Search

How Can We Achieve a Diverse and Gender Equal Parliament?

Liz 1

Liz Speight

Coordinator at Women Count UK — Centenary Action Group

Women Count UK monitors the number of women being selected as candidates in the run up to the next general election. 

Over 100 years on since women first won the right to vote, we still haven’t achieved equal representation in our elected bodies. This week thousands of people will be standing for election to local councils across the country and many more will be exercising their right to vote. For our democracy to be truly representative we need to see candidates elected that reflect the full diversity of our society. But, while women make up 51% of the population, they only account for 36% of councillors, and the vast majority (95%) of local authorities across the UK are dominated by men. The situation is very similar in the House of Commons with women accounting for only 35% of MPs. 

Equal representation of women, in all their diversity, is vital for an effective, vibrant and well-functioning democracy. Women bring collaborative and inclusive leadership which leads to stronger and better decision-making and a more representative governance. Research shows that more inclusive legislatures pass more pro-women legislation and distribute public services and benefits more fairly. Everyone wins when there are more women involved in public life.

Centenary Action’s mission is to achieve equal representation by 2028, the centenary of women getting the right to vote on the same terms as men. Building on the legacy of the suffragists and suffragettes we campaign to dismantle the barriers that prevent women from taking part in politics. We want to change the systems and culture in politics so that they work better for women and we want to see an end to the harassment and abuse faced by politically active women. We also campaign to address the additional barriers faced by women from ethnic minority backgrounds and those who have a disability.

We want to see more women, including women of colour and disabled women, selected and elected at the next election. As the boundary commission concludes, the political parties are accelerating their selection of candidates for the next general election. Through our Women Count campaign, we are working with all the political parties to collect data around the selection of women candidates. We are working collaboratively with them, but we will also use the insight to hold the parties to account for the numbers of women they are selecting. 

We want to put the issue of women’s representation front and centre at the next general election. Building support and momentum is key to delivering that goal. We are offering women the opportunity to come together, to hear from a cross party panel of MPs and have their say on how we work together to deliver our aim.   Our convenor, Helen Pankhurst, will be joined by leading women parliamentarians including Maria Caulfiled MP, Minister for Women and Anneliese Dodds, Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities. The panel, chaired by former BBC presenter Carolyn Quinn will share their thoughts about how to achieve equal representation followed by an audience Q&A. 

Delivering a diverse and gender equal parliament

women

Book your space here.

The event will focus on how we can all act to make a difference. We want women to come along to the event and be inspired by the possibilities of being an elected politician and consider how they can get involved in the campaign for equal representation. We can all have an impact either as activists, candidates or voters. 

Share

Related Topics

Latest

Video Features

How Can we Level Up the UK Sustainably?

Does Democracy Require Proportional Representation?

Marking LGBT+ History Month 2024

How Can Plugging the Skills Gap Support Decarbonisation?

Subscribe to our newsletter for your free digital copy of the journal!

Receive our latest insights, future journals as soon as they are published and get invited to our exclusive events and webinars.

Newsletter Signups
?
?

We respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any third party. Your personal data will be collected and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Never miss an issue by subcribing to our newsletter!

Receive our latest insights and all future journals as soon as they are published and get invited to our exclusive events and webinars.

Newsletter Signups
?
?

We respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any third party. Your personal data will be collected and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Never miss an issue by subcribing to our newsletter!

Receive our latest insights and all future journals as soon as they are published and get invited to our exclusive events and webinars.

Newsletter Signups
?
?

We respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any third party. Your personal data will be collected and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Newsletter Signup

Receive our latest insights as soon as they are published and get invited to our exclusive events and webinars.

Newsletter Signups
?
?

We respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any third party. Your personal data will be collected and handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.