Fabian Women’s Network
The Fabian Women’s Network was launched in 2005.
We are a voluntary section of the Fabian Society, alongside local societies, the Young Fabians, Scottish Fabians and Welsh Fabians. There are approximately 2,250 women in the Fabian Women’s Network of all ages and backgrounds. We are proud to have an intersectional ethos to our membership.
FWN is run autonomously by a voluntary committee with our own constitution. Twelve members are elected bi-annually in an online ballot of members at the same time as Fabian executive committee elections. The committee elects its chair and officers who are then ratified at our AGM. The administration of membership and elections sits with the Fabian Society staff team.
The Fabian Women’s Network aims to bring people together to:
- create a thriving network for social and political change and influence political decision making and policy
- connect Fabian networks with Fabian Women who are parliamentarians and those who hold other positions which publicly promote women’s issues;
- provide new ways in which women from all backgrounds and sectors can engage in topical policy debates.
The network holds high profile receptions and policy discussions and regularly works with voluntary sector organisations on campaigns that affect women’s lives, including women and finance, work/life balance and family related policy.
The current president is Seema Malhotra and the chair is Ivana Bartoletti.
FWN Mentoring Programme
The mentoring programme was launched was in 2011 and since then has gone from strength to strength. Seven cohorts have now completed the scheme and have, in a 10-month programme, received mentoring as well as taking part in organised training and networking activities. The scheme includes time spent in parliament in London, a trip to the European parliament, a series of networking and other events, and a residential weekend where mentees take part in training in the core skills required to be effective in public or parliamentary life.