Candidate Safety: our letter to city council
We sent a letter to City Council and Edmonton Elections in response to concerns shared directly with us by women on the campaign trail, during this past election. We want to ensure that women and gender-diverse people continue to step forward, raise their hands, and seek to represent their communities.
Whether it’s seeking office or seeking leadership of any kind, women and gender diverse people belong in all spaces where decisions are being made.
Research, including some findings from the UN Gender Snapshot Reports, highlight the barriers, discrimination, and harassment candidates still face when pursuing office. This harms participation, limits representation, and weakens our democracy.
The members of WAVE represent the voices of women and gender-diverse people from across Edmonton. We commit to doing our part to light the path toward gender equity and to open doors for future leaders to rise and thrive.
As we mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we continue the work of those that have come before us: advocating for safe, equitable, and inclusive leadership in our city.
WAVE remains committed to calling for safer campaigns, stronger representation, and a more inclusive democracy—now and in the years ahead.
