“#AskHerToStand Day” is celebrated on 21st November and this year commemorates 105 years since the passing of the Parliament (Qualification of Women Act) of 1918. This legislation permitted women to sit at members of the House of Commons for the first time. 105 years on, there is still a long way to go in achieving gender equality in parliament. At the 2019 General Election, 34% of members elected were women.
Various studies have sought to explain this inequality. A report by the Institute for Policy Research, based at the University of Bath, suggests (among other reasons) that this is due to the sexual harassment that takes place within politics. Our campaign highlights that this issue is rampant across political parties and that parties need to do more to combat this.
This #AskHerToStand day, we’re calling on political parties to examine their response to sexual harassment in their party.
If you are asking a woman to stand today, consider how you can contribute to our aim of making politics a safer place. This could be making noise within your party about improving processes, or by signing our open letter. Change is possible, join us in making it happen.
Rebecca Procter is an experienced campaigner with the Liberal Democrats, based in the East Midlands.
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