INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

That this House recognises the importance of International Women's Day on 8 March 2009; notes the findings of Girlguiding UK's report Political Outsiders: We Care, But Will We Vote, published in partnership with the Fawcett Society and the British Youth Council, that the most important political issues facing young women today include domestic violence, gangs and knife crime, bullying and workplace equality; is concerned that the research reveals that young women today feel deep disengagement from local and national politics; further notes that more must be done to engage young women in politics by giving them a voice on issues that affect them directly; acknowledges the call for political parties to consider publishing young people's manifestos; and therefore demands greater efforts from all sides of the House in pioneering ways to inspire the next generation of female policy-makers.