About the Campaign for Gender Balance

Why do we need more women candidates?

- Only 1 in 4 Lib Dem approved candidates are women, because not enough women apply to become candidates. This means the party is missing out on the talents of many of our women members.

- Only 1 in 5 MPs are women, and just 1 in 7 Lib Dem MPs. We need more women to stand so that more women win, and make our democratic bodies more representative of society. Women bring different experiences to the job, and this is important to reflect within parliament.

- Research shows that women are more likely to vote, and men just as likely to vote, when there are women on the ballot paper. The Liberal Democrats benefit from increased electoral turnout.

What does the Campaign for Gender Balance do in practice?

- The Campaign for Gender Balance was created to be proactive in seeking out, training, mentoring and providing practical support to women candidates.

- This approach has proved successful in increasing the number of women candidates in the party and, significantly, those selected for winnable seats.

- If you, or any women you know, are considering becoming a candidate, do get in touch with us. Many women MPs are only where they are today because someone encouraged them to go for it!

- We co-ordinate training events, including at Federal and regional conferences, for the many women who feel more confident in a women-only environment.

- We also work closely with party officials, MPs and the press to ensure that the need to enable and encourage women candidates continues to be taken seriously across the whole party.

If you would like to sign up for our monthly email newsletter, including training information, candidate selection updates and tips from senior Party figures, please send a blank email to "subscribe- genderbalance@lists.libdems.org.uk"

"I left school at 16, and had run my own business for over 20 years. My thinking is instinctive, not academic, and I had no idea what was required of me as far as the candidate forms were concerned. I contacted the Campaign for Gender Balance and help was forthcoming! …Many women put themselves down, and think of reasons why they are not capable, which is rubbish really. If you juggle home, work and family successfully, you are an extremely capable person - and think how much more sensible government would be if far more women were involved."

April Pond, PPC for 2008/9, Broadlands.

"The training at the Future Women MPs weekend definitely gave me the edge in being selected for a held seat. Any woman who wants to get selected should make sure they access the help, support and resources the Campaign for Gender Balance offers."

Terrye Teverson, PPC for Truro and Falmouth