Engender blog
The Abortion Act: 50 years on
Today marks 50 years since the 1967 Abortion Act, which allowed women to access abortion in certain circumstances. While the act was undoubtedly a key moment in the history of women’s rights, and helped end fatal backstreet abortions, it is underpinned by outdated beliefs that reproductive choice should sit with the state. Under the act, abortion must be administered in an approved medical facility (more on that below), must be within the first 24 weeks of a pregnancy, and must be approved by two doctors – the most paternalistic aspect of abortion law, and one which undermines women’s autonomy and decision-making about her own body and life choices.
Disabled Women's Reproductive Journeys
Engender has been awarded funding from the Tampon Tax Fund to undertake a project to work with disabled women to learn more about their experiences of reproductive and parenting services. This is one of the areas of work that was identified as an issue of concern in our Gender Matters in Disability briefing.
Abortion internationally – how does Scotland measure up?
On the International Day of Safe Abortion, Engender have released our latest report which shows where Scotland sits internationally with regard to abortion rights. Focusing on countries in the western world, we highlight the positive examples of Canada and territories in Australia which have decriminalised abortion, respecting women’s autonomy over their own bodies.
Guest post: Abortion in Scotland - The facts behind the figures
Juliet Swann is a policy and parliamentary consultant, Engender board member, and an expert on all things to do with participation in democracy. Here she takes a look at the facts behind recently reported polling figures on attitudes towards abortion in Scotland:
Scotland must take this chance to stand up for women's reproductive rights
This blog first appeared on OpenDemocracy.
It’s been a depressing year for anyone who cares about a woman’s right to choose (ok, it’s been a depressing year for everyone, but bear with me).
2016 has seen women imprisoned in Northern Ireland for accessing safe abortion pills online, or for helping other women to. Women in Poland have had to take to the streets to prevent a blanket ban on abortion even in cases of rape. And this month, senators in Ohio made progress towards a ban on abortion after 6 weeks – a time period in which many women don’t even discover they are pregnant, let alone have time to consider their options.
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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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