We are organisations working in partnership to strive for gender equality and women’s human rights in the West Midlands. We call on all Mayoral candidates to commit to gender equality and improving the lives of all women and girls in the region, especially those who are further marginalised by race, religion, class, sexual orientation or disability.

This isn’t just about improving women’s lives: everyone in the West Midlands will gain if we deliver for women.

What are we calling for?

We call on Mayoral candidates to pledge to:

• Improve women’s access to secure employment
• End violence against women and girls
• Create safe, affordable public transport
• Deliver equal representation of women in policymaking across the West Midlands, including establishing a women’s taskforce in the Combined Authority
• Carry out an equality impact assessment of major policies and decisions, responding to the reality of the lives of all women

The Mayor of the West Midlands will only be able to effectively deliver their Industrial Strategy if they engage the skills and talent of the women who live there. Devolution deals and Metro mayors provide an incredible opportunity to ensure that power is shared equally by those within devolved regions.

In 2019, the Fawcett Society reported on women’s under-representation on the West Midland Combined Authority board - with women making up only 15% of members (five out of 33). 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 >

Our partners:

West Midlands Women’s Voice, Fawcett West Midlands, BVSC, Muslim Women’s Network, Convergence International, FWT – A Centre for Women

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