Women’s Policy Consultation

Liberal Democrats Online Policy Consultation Group

The consultation paper on women’s issues is now available online. Click here for the web version ready for your comments, or download the PDF from the link below.

• Women’s Policy Consultation Paper (PDF, 89kB)

As chair of the Liberal Democrats Policy Working Group on women’s issues, I am delighted to present to you our consultation site.

Some would ask whether, in the 21st century, it is still necessary to produce policy specifically aimed at women. Why the special treatment? Shouldn’t men have tailored policies too?

As Liberal Democrats, we are rightly concerned at the injustices that women face in our society. Given the last major review of Liberal Democrat women’s policy was in 1995, the women’s policy working group is welcome and not before time. But the group will also bear in mind the questions above; after all, often when there is inequality for women, men are part of the solution. Focusing solely on one gender won’t work.

The group is keen to generate discussion within the party, and come up with bold and distinctive messages for the next General Election.

The group’s remit cuts across all portfolios. In some areas we already have excellent policy for women, in others there are gaps we must address. Some of the issues we will look at include:

• Money – pay, pensions, benefits
• Sex – sexual orientation, abuse, maternity
• Relationships – work/life balance, carers, family
• Health & Beauty – body image, health
• Power – representation, fear of crime, public role models

Please send us your contributions on these and other relevant issues, including personal experiences and professional expertise, or interesting articles: articles@libdems.org.uk.

In November we will publish a consultation paper to invite further contributions, leading to a series of evidence sessions during the winter and a session at Spring Conference. Our consultation paper will lay out the issues as we see them and identify some of the challenges which we will face in preparing our final paper.

I look forward to reading your comments with interest.

Jo Swinson MP
Chair – Women’s Policy Working Group