A welcome return: The Women in Defence APPG relaunches in Parliament

After months of lobbying to re-establish the Women in Defence All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), we were incredibly grateful to attend its relaunch this week.

Earlier this year, we launched a campaign calling on MPs to bring the APPG back after it stopped meeting following the General Election. We encouraged people to write to their local MP to highlight the vital work it had been doing.

And on Wednesday 22 October, the new Chair, Sarah Dyke MP, hosted an official launch which was well attended by MPs from across the House. We were honoured to hear from three MPs who spoke: Ms Dyke, Tan Dhesi, who is Chair of the Defence Committee, and Defence Minister Lord Coaker.

In her speech, Ms Dyke stressed the importance of ensuring that women see defence as a place where they belong. She expressed disappointment at recent comments made by politicians in the United States about women serving in the military, where She emphasised that the UK should take the lead globally in setting standards for how women are treated in defence.

Speakers also highlighted key progress being made for service personnel, including the Armed Forces Commissioner Act, which received Royal Assent in September. The Act establishes an independent Armed Forces Commissioner who will have several powers, including:

• The ability to attend UK defence sites unannounced
  • The power for members of the Armed Forces and their families to contact the Commissioner about issues affecting them
  • The authority to investigate issues raised, obtain relevant information from the MOD, and make recommendations for improvement

This forms part of the Government’s manifesto commitment to improve the lives of service personnel. Other areas of investment include an additional £1.5 billion for service housing, bringing the total spend on military accommodation this Parliament to more than £7 billion, according to the Government.

While speakers acknowledged the progress achieved, they also recognised that much more remains to be done. In recent years, thanks to the work of the APPG and its members, several important reports and inquiries have examined the experiences of women in the Armed Forces, including the Atherton Report and the Wigston Review. Both identified serious cultural and systemic issues within the military, including bullying, harassment and discrimination, and made clear recommendations for reform. Many of these recommendations are still awaiting full implementation.

Although challenges remain, the relaunch of the Women in Defence APPG signals a renewed focus in Parliament on tackling the issues faced by women serving in defence. At BBK, we look forward to supporting the APPG’s work in the months and years ahead.