Equal Power is a ground-breaking campaign to transform women’s representation, and get more women elected as MPs and councillors across England, as well as leading change in their local communities.
This three-year project is led by The Fawcett Society in partnership with Centenary Action Group, Citizens UK, 50:50 Parliament, Muslim Women’s Network & The Parliament Project.
They will be engaging with over 4,500 women with sessions in Birmingham and the West Midlands, Greater Manchester and London taking place over three years.
The Equal Power training will give women the skills and knowledge to stand for election while peer support circles and mentoring will build aspiring leaders’ confidence.
Community organising training will empower women to use their voices and make change in their local area and nationally on the issues they care about.
Targeted ‘overcoming barriers’ sessions are being run by Muslim Women’s Network UK, and will help BAME women stand for election; BAME women are often further underrepresented in positions of power across society and can face multiple forms of discrimination.
The project creates a unique opportunity to track women’s journeys to office and the barriers and discrimination they still face. The partnership will also be campaigning to tear down the barriers which are keeping women out of politics.
Equal Power will also strengthen existing networks for women politicians to build peer to peer support for women in Westminster and beyond.
In this challenging political climate only 34 per cent of our MPs and 35 per cent of local councillors in England are women. Women who are BAME, disabled, working class, young or with caring responsibilities are substantially underrepresented. This is not good enough, women’s voices must be heard.
Evidence shows that issues which impact directly on women’s lives are better represented and responded to if women are at the decision-making table. The equal representation of men and women is essential to effective democracy.
Take action. Sign up to be part of Equal Power today
