The Conservative Women's Organisation (CWO) represents the female members of the Conservative Party in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The Scottish Conservative Women's Council is the autonomous sister organisation of the CWO in Scotland. The Chairman of the British Section of the European Union of Women also sits on the CWO National Executive.
The youth wing of Conservative Women's Organisation is called Conservative Young Women.
As with all political parties, membership has declined and the CWO had about 5,000 active members in 2012 (although all the women members of the party are actually members). Attendance at the CWO Annual Conference has been between 300 and 750 in the past five years.
It also sends delegates to the National Conservative Convention, the parliament of the party's voluntary wing (Voluntary Party).
History
The National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations' Central Women's Advisory Committee (CWAC) was formed in 1908 and officially founded in 1919, although not affiliated to the Conservative Party until 1928. Its roots go back to the Grand Ladies Council of the Primrose League of 1885. It changed its name to the Women's National Advisory Committee (WNAC) in 1951 and again to the Conservative Women's National Committee (CWNC) in April 1982. It changed to its current title in April 2007.
In the latter half of the 20th century, the CWO had more than a quarter of a million members and became the largest women's political organisation in the Western world. For several decades, the women's organisation's annual conference was regularly held in the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The CWO celebrated its centenary in 2019 at its conference at Methodist Hall in London on 9 March 2019. The organisation created a supplementary centenary logo, which includes a primrose, in reference to its roots in the Primrose League – and uses the suffragette colours of purple, white and green.
Purpose
According to its website, the CWO is: The grassroots network that provides support and focus for women in the Conservative Party Reaching out to women in all parts of the community Campaigning on issues of particular concern to women both nationally and internationally Encouraging women to be politically active and to get elected at all levels Ensuring that the women's perspective is taken into account because women see things differently from men Helping the Conservative Party capture the women's vote
Organisation
National Executive
The CWO Executive Committee has responsibility for the overall management of the organisation and is composed of: CWO officers (president, chairman, 3 deputy chairmen, treasurer and deputy chairman Europe) European Union of Women (EUW) British Section Officers The 12 regional chairmen plus 2 additional executive members (AEMs) per region Up to 8 co-options Up to 8 additional members
National officers
The national officers for 2022/3 are:
Regions
East Midlands
Eastern
London
North East
North West
Northern Ireland
Scotland (as Scottish Conservative Women) South West Southern Wales West Midlands Yorkshire Each of the 12 regions are broken into Areas (roughly by county), with each having their own Area Chairman with responsibility to the Regional Chairmen. An affiliated (or recognised) Conservative Association women's group, known as Association CWOs or Conservative Women's Constituency Committees (CWCCs).
Affiliation and constitution
The organisation is officially affiliated to the Conservative Party. Its last constitution was ratified by the CWO AGM in March 2007 and ratified by the Party Board on 7 April 2007. A revised constitution was ratified by the CWO AGM on 29 March 2014 and ratified by the Party Board on 28 April 2014.
Elections
National and Regional elections take place at Annual General Meetings before 30 April each year.
Policy and research
CWO Forums
Although the organisation primarily represents the views of the women grassroots members of the Conservative Party, it is also involved in policy and research, which particularly affect women in the UK. It does this primarily through its CWO Forums – panel based discussion meetings that are generally held in the Palace of Westminster and which are open to men and women, and to people from all political persuasions.