Engender blog
Guest Post: A letter to women of the UK from your European sister
Guest blog from Mary Collins, European feminist and social justice advocate
Dear Sisters of the United Kingdom
As D Day approaches, I appeal to you to vote YES to REMAIN in the European Union (EU).
The EU, with all its flaws, has been instrumental for women’s rights and gender equality since the treaty of Rome in 1957. From a very narrow focus on equal pay – which I concede has yet to be achieved – the feminists of Europe have successfully pushed the boundaries to ensure that all policies are designed and implemented through a gender lens (gender mainstreaming). And yes, I concede again that the gender revolution has yet to take place.
Where does Scotland stand on women's equality?
As we edge closer to the Scottish Parliamentary elections, here at Engender we are rounding off our manifesto focus with a week on women’s rights. Last year the UN celebrated ‘Beijing +20’, the twenty year anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. As a signatory to the UN Convention on women’s rights (CEDAW), the UK is obliged to report against twelve thematic pillars for action. As many of these areas are devolved to the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Government is also bound to advance women’s rights under its terms.
Guest Post: Protection from harassment in the civil courts
Guest post by Jennifer Dalziel, solicitor for the Scottish Women's Rights Centre.
Scottish Women’s Rights Centre launched
The Scottish Women’s Rights Centre was launched on 22nd April at the University of Strathclyde. The event was a great success and resulted in many agencies contacting regarding the new service.
The SWRC offers free legal information and advice to women survivors of gender based violence. It is a partnership project between Rape Crisis Scotland, the Legal Services Agency and The University of Strathclyde Law Clinic. The project is funded until September 2016 by the Scottish Government through the Scottish legal Aid Board and by Foundation Scotland until 2017. The project is overseen by a specialist Advisory Group and is co-ordinated, on a part time basis, by Katy Mathieson of RCS Helpline.
‘Welfare’ and women: an update
Last week, George Osborne announced that the Treasury will start publishing annual breakdowns of public tax spend per head, in a move that will apparently increase transparency for taxpayers.
Cue rounds of analysis raising bones of contention online. It is in no way surprising that ‘welfare’ has been at the heart of debate, with many commentators quick to point out that our esteemed HMT has chosen to chunk up the data such that ‘welfare’ spending is represented extremely misleadingly indeed.
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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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