Summary :

The Project “More Women in European Politics – More women in 2014” is aimed at increasing the participation and representation of women in European politics.

Despite the improvements in addressing inequality between men and women over the past 30-40 years, there is still a long way to go in realizing real equality. Getting more women into politics is part of the process of making more headway in realizing the goal of gender equality.

UN and EU level policy has strongly recognized the need for greater representation of women in political life. From the Beijing Platform for Action of 1995 through to the UN Joint Statement of 19 September 2011 on ‘Advancing Women’s Political Participation’  one can read the strong affirmation for gender equality in political life and the fact that reality still has not significantly changed.

Similarly, at European Union level, the Strategy for equality between women and men – 2010–2015 underlines that the Commission will ‘support efforts to promote greater participation by women in European Parliament elections including as candidates. Currently, within the European Parliament there are 35% women and 65% men. However, this masks significant variations across member states. Only 8 members states have a 40% or higher ratio of women in the EP. There is a long way still to go.

The project is based on the recognition that previous attempts to promote gender equality in politics have largely failed in that they have not involved political parties. In contrast, in order to advance gender equality we need to ensure the participation of political parties in the promotion of women in politics. The power to recruit, select and nominate candidates are in the hands of political parties, whatever the electoral system.  That is why the partnership is unique in that it brings together National /regional NGO’s who have a well established track record in promoting gender equality alongside a range of national political parties who wish to address the issue of gender equality.

Activities

Each partner will set up a Women in Politics Group, made up of representative from women associations and/or from political parties.

The WPG will be responsible for the production of a baseline study, which creates a profile of women’s participation in politics.

Drawing up on evidence arising from the base line study, partners will launch a campaign which would:

  • Undertake a series of actions to engage the target group ( workshops; seminars; debates, online events)
  • Attract a group of women who have an interest in becoming candidates
  • Providing a programme of support and capacity building  to this group
  • Undertake national dissemination

Alongside the local activities implemented by each partner, the project foresees a transnational exchange programme, made up of:

  • two transnational workshops: the first enabling an exchange of experiences and the co-production of a common marketing logo; the second will enable partners  to share their local campaigns strategies and thus will provide a an opportunity for peer learning
  • an online programme
  • a transnational dissemination event
  • a series of three events targeted at member States not involved in the partnership.

This website  has been produced with the financial support of the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Programme of the European Union. The contents of this website  are the sole responsibility of  the Local Urban Development European Network  and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Commission

 

 

Expected outcomes

1. Increase in the numbers of women voting in the EP elections

2. 13 benchmark reports

3. To reach and engage between 10,000 and 14,000 women

4. 13 national campaigns have undertaken positive action

5. A campaign handbook/toolkit

Partnership

Project period

12 November 2012 – 11 November 2014