Campaign group calls for women to 'use their vote' in mayoral and PCC elections
A GENDER equality group is calling for women to "use their vote" in the up-coming mayoral and police and crime commissioner (PCC) elections.
Given the unequal number of female candidates, Bristol Fawcett wants to see voters find out what each candidate can do for issues concerning women.
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Green party's Daniella Radice is the only woman among 15 mayoral candidates, while independent Sue Mountstevens is the only woman out of the four PCC candidates.
To raise awareness and scrutinise candidates, Bristol Fawcett have started the 'wearstheshoes' campaign in association with their national project, Counting Women In.
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Helen Mott from Bristol Fawcett, who is helping co-ordinating the campaign, said: "Obviously we are disappointed with the proportion of women in both elections and we want to encourage women to vote and get involved in the politics of the city."
Ms Mott said that the turnout reflects the disproportionate amount of men to women in positions of power in the city.
In a report by Bristol Fawcett, figures show that Bristol is behind the rest of Britain when looking at women in the public and private sector.
Ms Mott said: "You would think to look at Bristol - with its three female MPs - that we are a city which embraces equality, in fact we are considerably behind the UK average."
Ms Radice, who is running for mayor while looking after two of her children, aged four and six, said that changes need to be made to make it easier for women to enter into politics.
She said: "It's a matter of recognising what the barriers are. The whole way in which politics has been set up needs to be addressed.
"Council meetings are normally at 6pm or 7pm in the evening which is really unsociable when you have got kids coming home from school and a partner who finishes work late. At the moment the system is set up around men. This needs to change."
Ms Radice also said that she would make sure quality childcare was a priority if elected as mayor.
She said: "We must continue to provide good quality, affordable child care as its vital for all women."
Bristol Fawcett's campaign, along with their report comes as Bristol is to host its first women's mayoral hustings on Wednesday October 31.Elections for the mayor and the police and crime commissioner will be held on November 15.
Comments
by Grulgor
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 9:53PM
“having skim read the report there are some really odd things in there, for example where it mentions that the woman is looking after his kids or parents. (page 29)
shouldnt that be their kids?
the bullet points on page 4 to me are a bad example, saying bristol needed a borris, to me anyway just means a mayor who will get things done.
end of the day its the right person for the job that matters regardless of their gender. perhaps the council has to evolve to make things easier for all involved. Who wants to be in meetings in the evening regardless of gender, most people would want to be at home with their family.
vote for those who have the policies that matter most to you and I am a firm believer of equal rights I believe it is taken to far by most people.
In the upcoming elections I will vote for the person who i belive will have the best chance of sorting this city out and the person who seems right for the other job to. Now I fully agree that FGM is a horrible practice and needs to be stopped, just because one person decides to play this as their trump card should not influence your vote as a result of one policy you need to look at what they plan to do overall.
anyway as always IMHO.”
by Lone_Ranger
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 4:58PM
“If this group is that concerned about perceived lack of representation for women, why didn't they put someone forward for the Mayoral or PCC elections?”
by GoveKnows
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 4:08PM
“@klooc "I'm not a man basher by the way, I don't even agree with the article."
No, you're clearly just a clown with no sense of humor.”
by BrisFawcett
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 2:56PM
“The report by Bristol Fawcett is available from http://tinyurl.com/98lw7hf”
by Klooc
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 2:50PM
“Wow goveknows.
You may think you're perfect but you clearly have too much time (and probably other things) on your hands :)
Also since when did being a woman effect geography? Oh dear. Someone obviously got dumped recently.
(I'm not a man basher by the way, I don't even agree with the article. As a female I don't cast my vote based on whether someone else is a female too and I think this campaign will in-fact put many female voters off. Come on ladies lets hear some better policies)”
by GoveKnows
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 2:03PM
“I'm glad I'm a man, you better believe.
I don't live off of yogurt, diet coke, or cottage cheese
I don't *itch to my girlfriends about the size of my breasts.
I can get where I want to - north, south, east or west.
And I don't go around checking my reflection
in everything shiny from every direction.
I don't whine in public and make us leave early,
And when you ask why get all bitter and surly.
I'm glad I'm a man, I'm so glad I could sing.
I don't have to sit around waiting for that ring.
I don't gossip about friends or stab them in the back.
I don't carry our differences into the sack.
I'll never go psycho and threaten to kill you
Or think every guy out there's trying to steal you.
I'm rational, reasonable, and logical too.
I know what the time is and I know what to do.
And I honestly think its a privilege for me
To have these two balls and stand when I pee.
I live to watch sports and play all sorts of ball.
It's more fun than dealing with women after all.
I won't cry if you say it's not going to work.
I won't remain bitter and call you a jerk.
Feel free to use me for immediate pleasure.
I won't assume it's permanent by any measure.
Yes, I'm so very glad I'm a man, you see.
I'm glad I'm not capable of child delivery.
I don't get all *itchy every 28 days.
I'm glad that my gender gets me a much bigger raise.
I'm a man by chance and I'm thankful it's true.
I'm so glad I'm a man and not a woman like these few...”
by BristolDJ
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 1:36PM
“"Council meetings are normally at 6pm or 7pm in the evening which is really unsociable when you have got kids coming home from school and a partner who finishes work late. At the moment the system is set up around men. This needs to change."
Isn't this comment in itself sexist and self defeating as it suggests only women wait at home for the kids and the male partner is always the bread winner...
This sort of view is so out of touch and supposedly what they are against. Staggering ignorance displayed here.”
by Ourbads
Tuesday, October 30 2012, 1:10PM
“More man-bashing”