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.

Vital Voices Gather

A nationwide series of gatherings to share your ideas for a Scotland without violence against women and girls...

Almost every area of our lives is affected by public policy decisions, from our healthcare to the public transport we take. Women experience life differently to men and these differences are not always considered. Engender’s Delivering Equally Safe project is exploring the consequences of when these differences are overlooked, particularly in relation to violence against women and girls (VAWG).

We want to hear from women with lived experience of this violence, to explore how all areas of public policy can work better for women and be used to prevent VAWG before it occurs.

Cost of Living Crisis: The hidden cost of politics

The graphic shows a light green background with dark green left-aligned text quote that reads "It continues to be women shouldering the bulk of caring responsibilities and who are most impacted by cuts to essential local services – from libraries to after-school care – while, of course, they still make up a minority of the elected representatives making the financial decisions about whether or not those services receive funding.". The quote is attributed to Laura Moodie. In the top right-hand corner of the graphic there is Engender's logo, which is an equals sign in a bright green circle.

As part of our blog series on the cost of living crisis, activist and campaigner Laura Moodie explores the hidden costs of participating in politics during the cost of living crisis, and the challenges this creates for achieving equal representation for women at all levels of politics.

For International Women’s Day this year, I had the joy of meeting with a group of fantastic Green women in the amazing Ayrshire Women’s Hub. Despite the dark and chilly night - with snow hinted at by the weather forecast - by the time the meeting started in earnest, we’d had to bring in extra chairs to fit everyone in.

Women's economic, social and cultural rights in Scotland

The graphic shows a dark purple background with bright purple and white left-aligned text that reads "How can ICESCR improve women's lives in Scotland? READ OUR GENDER EDIT of the UN CESCR Committee's ‘List of Issues’ in relation to the UK’s seventh periodic report now.". In the top right-hand corner of the graphic there is Engender's logo, which is an equals sign in a white circle. In the bottom right-hand corner of the graphic there is an icon of an open book.

We recently submitted a shadow report, signed by 20 organisations, to the Seventh periodic report of the government of the United Kingdom on measures taken to give effect to ICESCR. In this blog, we share our gender edit of the List of Issues published by the CESCR Committee and take a look at some key issues raised.

The UN Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights is currently examining the UK on its performance under ICESCR (the International Covenant on Economic, Cultural, and Social rights). In 2022, the UK submitted its state party report (including input on devolved matters from Scottish Government), and the Committee received ‘shadow reports’ from civil society. Earlier this year we submitted a shadow report, co-signed by twenty organisations, which maps women’s rights in Scotland across the articles of ICESCR and highlights potential areas of focus for the Committee’s scrutiny. You can read more about our shadow report here.

Cost of Living Crisis: How are rising costs affecting women in the arts?

The graphic shows a light green background with dark green left-aligned text quote that reads "The impacts of the cost of living have rippled throughout the arts sector in Scotland. Many organisations have warned that they are under direct threat as a result. However, these conversations often miss a gendered element. Women in the arts in Scotland have long had to contend with gender inequality and sexism.  ". The quote is attributed to Rosie Aspinall Priest. In the top right-hand corner of the graphic there is Engender's logo, which is an equals sign in a bright green circle.

As part of our blog series on the cost of living crisis, artist, writer and researcher Rosie Aspinall Priest explores the impact of the cost of living crisis on women in the arts in Scotland, and the need for more reliable, well-paid and flexible opportunities for those working in the arts.

Of the world’s ‘advanced economies’, the UK is amongst the most impacted by the cost of living crisis. The crisis has negatively impacted women disproportionately compared to their male counterparts. From rising rent prices to stagnating wages and increasing unemployment, more and more women are struggling to make ends meet. This burden is far from evenly distributed. Research from the Women’s Budget Group found that women were more likely to be living in overcrowded, poorly insulated, and poorly maintained homes than men. People from the global majority are almost twice as likely to be facing redundancy than white workers. It’s no wonder that 31 per cent of women highlighted the cost of living as a major source of financial stress, according to research from the Reward and Employee Benefits Association.

Women's sector calls on candidates to go further on gender equality

The graphic shows a white background with black left-aligned text quote that reads "We believe that Scotland has the potential to be one of the safest, most equitable and inspiring countries in the world for women. We will need continued innovation, resources, and leadership on gender equality to achieve this. Our next First Minister will need to go further and at a faster rate to address the major challenges we face.". Along the side of the graphic are the  Amina, Close the Gap, Elect Her, Equate, Engender, Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Women's Aid, Scottish Women's Convention, Scottish Women's Budget Group, Scottish Women's Rights Centre, Women 5050 Women's Enterprise Scotland, Zero Tolerance and YWCA Scotland logos.

Yesterday, we joined with organisations from across the Scottish Women's Sector to write to the SNP leadership candidates, calling on them to commit to bringing about progressive change on gender equality that benefits not only women, but Scottish society. Read the letter and see a full list of signatories below.

As Scotland’s national women’s equality organisations, our ambition is for a Scotland in which substantive, intersectional gender equality is finally realised. To secure this, we need an approach to government that puts the experiences of diverse women, particularly marginalised and minoritised women, at the core of public policy development and implementation. This requires innovation, resources, and leadership to ensure that all women benefit equitably from public investment and services, that our safety and human rights are realised, that we can participate fully in culture and public life, and that our unpaid care and paid work are valued and compensated fairly.

Downloads

Engender Briefing: Pension Credit Entitlement ChangesEngender 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 SexismEngender 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 CreditGender 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 2016Gender 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 WomenScottish 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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