A new report published highlights what needs to be done to get more underrepresented groups of women to play an active role in civic and civil life. Women from all walks of life remain underrepresented in decision making roles and this is particularly true of women from Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. Only 29.3% of local authority councillors in England are women and of them, only 3% are BAME women. Currently, less than 20% of MPs are female. There are only two minority ethnic women MPs and there has never been an Asian woman MP. Closing the Gap is a report on the findings of The Women Take Part project announced in 2007, by Government Equalities Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government. Women Take Part aimed to identify the key ingredients to supporting women from underrepresented groups to become active in public life and deliver change - what works and why; and the key elements likely to have a long term and sustainable impact.

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4 September 2008
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