The conference aims to contribute to building the wider movement that challenges barriers and builds support for the greater participation of women in politics and public life in Scotland. Women continue to be under-represented in local government in Scotland: at the last election in 2017 only 30.5% of elected councillors were female. Representation at the Scottish Parliament is only slightly higher at 35%. COSLA has previously held a conference on the barriers to political participation in December 2015 and these issues are now well documented. This conference will focus on the way forward by providing a platform for networking and idea sharing. We will encourage participants to set their own goals for how they personally can contribute to achieving positive change.
The participative and interactive event will aim to:
- celebrate women’s contribution to local government politics;
- develop an action plan on how barriers to women entering and progressing in local government politics can be tackled; and
- provide a safe space for women councillors to share experiences and build support networks.
For more information about the conference please contact Mhoraig Green (mhoraig@cosla.gov.uk) or Laura Caven (laura.caven@cosla.gov.uk).
