Engender blog
Guest Post: Challenge Poverty Week: Tackling Poverty and Inequality with Edinburgh’s new Equality and Rights Network (EaRN)
Guest blog from Roseanna Macdonald, Equality and Rights Network (EaRN)
Challenge Poverty Week is here, and it couldn’t arrive soon enough. It will come as no surprise to those working on issues including employment, equality and welfare that poverty is set to rise in coming months and years; currently an estimated 1 in 5 children are living in poverty in Edinburgh. Questions need to be asked (and answered) about how to tackle the growing numbers of people living in poverty, the harmful stigmas and stereotypes associated with poverty and how poverty connects with – and often deepens – other inequalities.
With these questions in mind the Edinburgh-based Equality and Rights Network (EaRN) is holding its first solo public event, A Platform for Positive Change, on the 21st October to explore how the Network can be used to tackle poverty and inequality and effect positive change. As a new member-based project, EaRN’s aim is to be a platform for people and communities experiencing discrimination, poverty and inequality to influence policy and practice surrounding equality and rights by sharing their lived experiences. A Platform for Positive Change is an opportunity for public services, third sector organisations, community groups and individuals to identify how EaRN can achieve this aim. Through interactive workshops and discussions, we will be asking participants to identify common priorities between various equalities groups, what role EaRN can play in tackling poverty and inequality, and practical steps the Network can take towards this in coming months.
It is our belief that positive change in the twin landscapes of poverty and inequality can only truly come about through public services engaging directly with those that use, and are affected by, their services. A Platform for Positive Change is the first step towards improving this engagement in Edinburgh; the actions that will come from this event will serve as a basis for EaRN’s future activities. So if you are affected by poverty and/or inequality, or work with people affected, we want to hear your voice in this engagement!
A Platform for Positive Change will be held at Out of the Blue Drill Hall on the 21st October from 9.30-13.30. Click here to find out more about this event.
Guest Post: Scotland, a fairer and healthier nation?
Guest post by Pam Duncan-Glancy, Policy Officer for the Independent Living in Scotland project
There’s no doubt that social justice is the buzz term of the moment, and about time too! For disabled women like me, social justice means a lot of things, but a crucial part of it is about having access to enough, good quality and fairly funded social care. Without social care, I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning, go to work, see friends, play my part in our society, put quite simply, I wouldn’t be healthy, and I wouldn’t have fair and equal access to society – and that’s not very socially just, is it?
Guest Post: A Citizen’s Income for Scotland?
Guest Post by Annie Miller, Chair of the Citizens' Income Trust
In this post Annie talks about why we need a Citizen's Income, and how it could work in Scotland.
The Citizen’s Income Trust is a think-tank with the object of educating the public about the desirability and feasibility of a Citizen’s Income or Basic Income. A Citizen's Income is like a Child Benefit, but for everyone. It is based on the individual, (not the couple or household), is universal for everyone with the legal right to residency in the country, and is not means-tested. It is unconditional and non-selective.
Guest Post: Women’s Access to Employment Tribunal
Guest post by Jillian Merchant of Thompsons Solicitors
Sex discrimination, sexual harassment and the fight for equal pay are, sadly, still the reality of many working women’s lives.
Despite the Equal Pay Act being passed over 45 years ago the fight for equal pay goes on. Women are still paid almost 10% less than men on average if in full time work and over 19% for all types of employment.
Guest Post: Women, Westminster, and the media
Guest post by Juliet Swann, Campaigns and Research Officer at the Electoral Reform Society in Scotland.
Working for ERS Scotland I am often asked to comment on women and political life and the equal representation of women. I am also often asked to speak or chair events, and often I have been approached because I am a woman.
This was explicitly the case in three general election events I participated in last month. The first was a Common Weal Edinburgh North and Leith hustings, where they were keen to have the debate chaired by a woman. Equal representation came up in the discussion, not just for women but also for other under-represented groups such as BME and people with disabilities.
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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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