Engender blog
All of Engender’s latest news. Reports, reviews, books, articles, and information from across Scotland’s women’s sector.
We would love to hear from other feminists around Scotland. Check out our guidelines for more information on how you can blog for us.
Menopause Matters: Share your experience in our survey
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Our survey is out, and we can´t wait to hear what you have to say about the menopause! There is no expert like yourself. Every woman has a different and personal experience of the menopause, and it's time for us to listen to you.
If you've already gone through the menopause, are in the middle of it or just starting, your experiences and opinions are invaluable as it could help us guide future support services and policies that really answer to women´s needs.
The survey covers some common problems which have come up through our research so far, such as your experiences of learning about the menopause, and starting conversations about it with friends, colleagues, or managers, amongst others. We want to hear from your experiences and your ideas for solutions - you're the one going through it and who knows what's best for you.
Scotland & the European Elections: What's in it for women?
As Scotland prepares to go to the polls in the European Elections on 23rd April (you can find out who the MEP candidates in Scotland are here), we've looked at the manifestos to create a gender summary of what's in it for women.
“Unexpected.” “The election that no one wants.” “The chance for Scotland’s voice to be heard.”
Britain’s last-minute decision (if it can be called a decision) to take part in the 2019 European Election has caught many of our political parties off guard. In the scramble to find candidates willing to fight an election on the key issue of our times and possibly take up a role as an MEP due to cease with the new Brexit date on 31 October, the elections on the 23rd of May still feel a rather distant prospect.
Menopause Matters: an assessment of the support needs of Scottish women experiencing menopause transition
Engender is really pleased to be working with University of Edinburgh student Elena Rodriguez on a project exploring women's experiences of the menopause.
Born in San José, Costa Rica, Elena graduated in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Costa Rica in 2016. She has since worked researching access to healthcare for migrant and indigenous populations in Costa Rica, and on knowledge and attitudes towards flu vaccines with health professionals and postpartum women. She's been a feminist since 1990, and in her first blog for Engender, she sets out what the project hopes to do.
Biologically, the menopause is considered a natural part of ageing. Generally defined as the moment a woman stops having periods, it occurs at the average age of 51 years in the UK. However, for some women the process happens earlier - often with no apparent cause, or as a result of surgical or medical procedures, for example some cancer treatments.
Scottish women and the vote
In this blog, Alys Mumford reflects on our podcast miniseries looking at Scottish Women and the Vote.
As with all things relating to the struggle for women’s liberation, the recording of a podcast series about women's suffrage has been in equal parts inspiring and disheartening.
We've celebrated the representation of the people act, while at the same
time recognising the barriers which still exist for so many women in
Scotland today. We've applauded the activities of women foiling the attempts
of the 1911 census collectors (having an all-night party in a café with buns, games and fancy dress – I’m in), while at the same time witnessing arguments online about trans and non-binary inclusion in 2021.
CEDAW: How the UN Women’s Bill of Rights creates possibilities for women and girls in Scotland.
Engender members and other people who stay in touch with our work will know that we have been enabling organisations that care about women’s and girls’ equality to shadow the UN CEDAW process. The International Bill of Rights for Women is a key global human rights instrument for gender equality. The UK Government has just been examined by its dedicated UN CEDAW Committee to see how well the rights it provides for are being realised across the four nations of the UK.
We’ve written about the process, what happened during the examination, and annotated the concluding observations (or recommendations) that the Committee makes to UK Government. Here we’re going to summarise four of our reflections from the experience of working on CEDAW over the past two years.
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Engender Briefing: Pension Credit Entitlement Changes
From 15 May 2019, new changes will be introduced which will require couples where one partner has reached state pension age and one has not (‘mixed age couples’) to claim universal credit (UC) instead of Pension Credit.
Engender Parliamentary Briefing: Condemnation of Misogyny, Racism, Harassment and Sexism
Engender welcomes this Scottish Parliament Debate on Condemnation of Misogyny, Racism, Harassment and Sexism and the opportunity to raise awareness of the ways in which women in Scotland’s inequality contributes to gender-based violence.
Gender Matters in Social Security: Individual Payments of Universal Credit
A paper calling on the Scottish Government to automatically split payments of Universal Credit between couples, once this power is devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
Gender Matters Manifesto: Twenty for 2016
This manifesto sets out measures that, with political will, can be taken over the next parliamentary term in pursuit of these goals.
Scottish NGO Briefing for UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women
Joint briefing paper for the UN Rapporteur on Violence Against Women.
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