Together we are a group of organisations working in partnership to strive for gender equality and women’s rights in Greater Manchester. Coronavirus is worsening existing inequality: women, in particular Black, Asian and ethnic minority women, single mothers, Disabled women and young women, are being hit hardest by the social and economic impacts of the virus.

Together we call on all Mayoral candidates to commit to gender equality and improving the lives of all women and girls in the region and ensuring women are represented at the Greater Manchester coronavirus recovery decision-making table – especially those who are further marginalised by race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation or disability. But this isn’t just about improving women’s lives: Everyone in Greater Manchester will gain if we deliver for women.

We call on Mayoral candidates to pledge to:

• Deliver equal representation
• End violence against women and girls
• Improve women’s access to secure employment, ensuring women who face additional discrimination and disadvantage on the basis of race, ethnicity and/or disability are not left behind
• Ensure public transport is safe, affordable and meets demand
• Ensure that all women and girls are fully engaged in and empowered by Greater Manchester’s cultural strategy

The Mayor of Greater Manchester will not be able to deliver the Local Industrial Strategy without engaging the skills and talent of the women who live there. Devolution deals and Metro mayors provide an ideal opportunity to ensure that power is shared equally by those within devolved regions.

Fawcett’s 2021 research found that there were two women within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority - that’s only 18% of the 11-strong board. Male-dominated power structures will fail to deliver for women unless women’s voices are heard and included at the table.

Read the full manifesto here > 

Our partners: 

We'd like to thank our funder Barrow Cadbury Trust, for supporting our research and campaigning to make devolution across England work for women.