Birmingham councillor Shabina Bano has opened up about the significant challenges women encounter in the political arena, emphasizing that many female politicians remain “somewhat silent” due to an environment dominated by men.
Representing the Small Heath ward, Cllr Bano, a mother of five, shared her personal journey navigating politics. After a dispute within the Labour Party, she switched allegiance to the Liberal Democrats in 2024. Part of this decision stemmed from conflicts with former councillor Saqib Khan, who was found by a council standards committee to have breached the authority’s code of conduct by failing to treat her with respect.
Speaking to BirminghamLive, Bano described politics as “a very male dominated world,” where women often struggle to break through. “What I have seen in my journey of politics is that there are women in politics, but they’re not actually vocal,” she explained. “You don’t actually get to see the true personality of women, because they’re not allowed to be vocal or express who they are.”
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She urged a shift toward greater inclusion and openness, adding, “Women in politics need to be more vocal and express themselves. We need to allow more women into parties and understand their needs.”
Reflecting on the broader impact of silent female voices, Bano remarked, “We’ve got a generation growing up. If women in politics are somewhat silent, especially in certain parties, it sends a limiting message.”
Despite facing criticism and stigma both inside and outside the political sphere, Cllr Bano emphasized resilience: “You get challenges because there’s judgement. But as a person, you can overcome that.” She concluded by sharing how she has persevered through numerous challenges within her community, noting, “How you conduct your work and responsibilities always overcomes that. You’ll get criticism, but some of it is just nonsense.”
Through sharing her experiences, Shabina Bano’s message is clear — women must find their voices and claim their space in politics to effect real change.