A group of MPs are planning to form a caucus in the House of Commons. A parliamentary caucus is a group of cross party and independent politicians with a shared interest, in this case, to “advance issues that disproportionately affect women.” Forty percent of MPs in the House of Commons are now women, the largest cohort in history.
At the time of writing, 47 MPs have supported the plan by signing an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons. Similar initiatives already operate in Northern Ireland Assembly and the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments.
The issues that disproportionately impact women include violence and abuse, sexual assault, domestic homicides, forced marriages, honour-based abuse and female genital mutilation (FGM). Although anyone can experience many of these abuses, statistics and research show that the majority of victims are women and girls.
The initiative was agreed at a meeting hosted by the Fawcett Society in September.
Jemima Olchawski, CEO of the Fawcett Society, said: “We need women to come together across parties to deliver reform that makes a tangible difference.”