Women are unveiling their own election manifesto in the run-up to May’s local council polls being unveiled by Tower Hamlets Labour Party on Women’s International Day.

It targets violence against women, lack of employment and lack of affordable childcare.

Women candidates, current councillors and cabinet members join Labour Mayor John Biggs for tonight’s launch at St Margaret’s community centre in Bethnal Green.

The party’s full manifesto isn’t being unwrapped until next month, but tonight’s “short version” contains 15 pledges on issues facing women.

These include making the East End safer for women and girls, supporting more women into work and ensuring affordable childcare for working families who need it.

The manifesto claims 97 per cent of “interpersonal violence” victims listed in Tower Hamlets crime statistics are women.

On jobs, it notes that only 60pc of women are able to work compared to 78pc of men.

Half the non-working mothers, around 14,000 women, say they would get jobs if they had affordable childcare, the manifesto points out.

Bangladeshi women are also highlighted, showing just 37.7pc working, compared to 63.5pc of Bangladeshi men.