All the major parties have now published their manifestos.
The impact of women’s organising is clear. Each now claims to be the party that cares about women and will make our lives better.
These claims are testimony to all the women who have worked relentlessly within their parties and to every single woman who has raised her voice.
But there is much more work to do.
Women need real, substantial change and all the party manifestos make it clear we still have a long way to go.
No one party has got it right.
None have gone far enough.
Some are co-opting women’s concerns about gender self-ID for their own political ends.
It is not enough for parties to say they understand biological sex. They need to show they understand the struggles of women’s lives and be prepared to implement policies which address them.
For example
- The high levels of abuse, harassment, intimidation and violence faced by women and girls on a daily basis
- The persistence of sexism, misogyny and racism
- The failure of the criminal justice system to treat women fairly or take the crimes against us seriously
- The impact of poverty on the lives of women and children
We are deeply concerned about the growth of the far and extremist Right across Europe and within the UK, as well as its growing influence within mainstream political parties.
Such forces may know what a woman is but that does not mean they have women’s interests at heart. They demonise Black and minoritised communities and seek to divide us.
They want to reduce or remove women’s reproductive rights and attack lesbians, gay men and other minorities.
They are dangerous and must be rejected.
We campaign for the rights of all women and girls. This campaign aim cannot be achieved if we discriminate against groups based on their skin colour, ethnicity or nationality. Nor can it be achieved by lending legitimacy or cover to those that seek to do so.
WPUK anti-racism statementThe growth in political activity and engagement by women in recent years has shown what women can do when we organise. We are a political force to be reckoned with. No party should take our vote for granted and no government should expect us to be satisfied with false promises or meagre offerings.
Woman’s Place UK has identified 30 actions that, if taken, have the power to transform the lives of women and girls and make our society work for everyone.
Please share our manifesto with the candidates in your constituency and ask what they will do for women. Download the PDF.
Whoever wins the election on the 4th July, the battle for women’s rights will not be won. We will need to persist in making sure our voices are heard and that our politicians work for us
More at https://womansplaceuk.org/2024/06/20/manifesto-24-womans-place-uk-wants-more/