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.
What do women want from local councils?
That’s the question that we, along with campaign group Women5050 want to answer this spring.
The decisions made by local councils have a significant impact on women’s lives, from allocating spending on education and leisure, to deciding how and where public transport runs. And yet it is in local councils that women’s underrepresentation is clearest – with only 24% of local councillors being women. Of the 1,223 local councillors in Scotland, only four are women from BME communities.
We've created activities and resources which can be used by groups across Scotland to explore what powers local councils have, and how women can have influence them. The workshops will be used to crowd-source 10 questions local councillor elected in May to ask themselves about how they are involving women in their work.
Help us to make women's work visible this International Women's Day
This International Women's Day, Engender will be charting the work done by women across Scotland.
By work, we mean much more than the paid labour which most economists count as 'work'. We know much of the work done by women - caring, looking after households, making sure everyone is supported - is often invisible in society. We also know that without this work, the work done by others would not happen (find out more about these issues here.)
SUCCESS: Scottish Government commits to individual payments of Universal Credit
Today Engender have welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to offer individual, not household, payments of Universal Credit.
The announcement from Jeane Freeman, Minister for Social Security, came as the Scottish Government published their response to the consultation on social security in Scotland. 88% of the respondents to the Government’s consultation called for the splitting of Universal Credit payments, largely based on a desire to prevent power imbalances in relationships.
Message from Jeane Freeman - Minister for Social Security
I want to thank you for all the help and support you have given us during our consultation on a Social Security system for Scotland and the part you played in the recent social security consultation.
Over the three months we had engagement in every local authority area of the country, reaching many hundreds of people through these and social media. And we reached those we need to reach – people with direct, lived experience of the UK benefits system and with clear ideas on what they want to see improved. We’ve now received just over 500 responses with around half coming from individuals. We’ll publish the independent analysis of these and our response, in early 2017.
Feminist action against Trump
Next week on 20th January Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the President of the United States of America.
Given statements made during the election campaign, many are understandably worried about what a Trump presidency may mean for women's equality, the fight against racism, LGBTQI rights, religious freedoms, violence, climate change, migrant rights, international relations, democratic freedoms and many more vital issues.
Here, we outline some of the things happening in Scotland (and the rest of the UK) which you might want to get involved in.
Please note that we do not endorse these events (except our own, of course!), and would encourage women considering attending to think about the organisers and messaging of any action, and to ensure you feel safe and comfortable in attending. Where appropriate, we have linked to further information to consider before getting involved.
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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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