New panel to help women and girls live their best lives

A new panel that will accelerate gender equality across Greater Manchester and enable women and girls to live their best lives has been announced to mark International Women's Day (March 8).

The Greater Manchester Women and Girl’s Equality Panel will work with Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to achieve gender parity in the city-region.  

The panel, which is subject to approval from the GMCA, will work to ensure women and girls of all ages in Greater Manchester, across all ten boroughs, have equal opportunity to start well, live well and age well.

It will focus on a range of areas, including:

• Representation in public life
• Safety
• Employment, business and economy
• Health

The panel will work closely with established community groups in Greater Manchester and its members will come from across a number of sectors and areas.

It will have representation from areas across the city-region to ensure that people from a range of different backgrounds, as well as the business, VCSE and public sectors are all represented.

If approved, the panel will launch later this year.

Greater Manchester's Lead for Equalities, Cllr Brenda Warrington, who is also leader of Tameside Council, said: "We are determined in Greater Manchester to help all women and girls to live their best lives.

"This new panel will help us to do this, ensuring that addressing gender inequality is embedded into all policy in Greater Manchester and enabling us to provide the best opportunities possible for women and girls.

"An equal Greater Manchester benefits everyone living here, not just women and girls, and now is the time for us to make it happen."

Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Hughes said: "We know we can still do more in Greater Manchester when it comes to equality for women and girls and the formation of this panel is a big step in the right direction.

"We have great momentum behind us now, with a real commitment from across the public, private and voluntary sectors to create a better future for our women and girls and through this panel we will turn that momentum into real change."

The theme of International Women's Day this year is #EachforEqual, looking at how we can all actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations and celebrate women’s achievements to collectively create a gender equal world.