Miriam Dalli Launches Innovative Plan For 50% Of PL Candidates To Be Female
The Labour Party has announced an innovative scheme to heavily up female representation in parliament in a new project with MEP Miriam Dalli at its helm.
Speaking at the extraordinary general meeting last night, Dalli explained that Lead, the new initiative, will start work this September in the hopes of seeing women make up 40% of the candidates put forward for the next MEP elections in 2019.
And it all begins with a mentorship program.
Every year the program will take a minimum of 12 prospective candidates under its wing and teach them what they need to know to succeed. It will help with door-to-door campaigning, constituent meetings, inclusion in high level conferences, coverage in the media and other concrete assistance. They’ll also offer child-care services to those who need it to ensure every woman who has the drive to take part is taken care of.
The short-term goal is to see women account for 40% of their candidates for European Parliament and 50% of their candidates for Local Council Elections in 2019. Long term, they hope to have an even 50% for the General Elections of 2027.
“I used to think change would happen on its own but in reality, we must be ones to push it forward” said Dalli, who said she never felt directly discriminated against, but explained that people always expected more from her than they would from a man.
If you’re a young woman interested in change (regardless of your political experience) and are older than 16, all you need to do is send an email to [email protected]