Scottish Women's Budget Group Open Meeting

Buchanan House, Glasgow Caledonian University, Port Dundas Road, Glasgow G4 0HF.
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October 21, 2014, 17.00 – 19.30

Buchanan House, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow

Re-group, re-new, revise! Come along to the Scottish Women’s Budget Group – feminist policy change in action

Never heard of gender budgeting? Long-time supporter of Scottish Women’s Budget Group? Either way, come along and bring a friend. Changes are happening that will have a significant impact on women’s income, democratic representation, and financial autonomy. This meeting will give a quick introduction and overview to feminist economics, the Scottish economy, and the structure of the Scottish Budget and gender budget analysis.

1. Short inputs/refreshers

- Gender and Scottish Economy – Dr. Leaza McSorley

- Feminist Economics – Emily Thomson

- Scottish Budget and SWBG Analysis – Angela O’Hagan

2. Group discussion and plan on SWBG Response to Draft Budget and Equality Budget Statement 2015-2016

With the outcome of the referendum changing the outlook for Scotland in so many ways, SWBG and other feminist organisations need to organise and scrutinise the proposals from the Westminster parties as well as the Draft Budget and Equality Budget Statement from the Scottish Government and other proposals from Holyrood.

We have to be especially vigilant around proposals on welfare, taxation, housing and public services as well as forthcoming manifestos for the 2015 UK election and 2016 Scottish Parliament election. How women are presented and visible in policy proposals and representation of women as candidates are key challenges for the political parties.

SWBG as a prominent Scottish feminist organisation has plenty to say on these issues and needs to be ready to say it. In our statement on independence we demanded effective gender analysis and positive change across institutional structures and political processes, additional powers, and decisions across all areas of public policy present key opportunities to build-in gender equality from the outset.

Specifically

• taxation measures must be fair and progressive, based on individuals and not the household
• public spending proposals and programmes must be formulated to promote greater equality of opportunity and not restrict individuals based on stereotypical assumptions
• public spending on childcare and other forms of care as well as the prevention of gender based violence must be regarded as public goods and as contributing to women’s equality and independence
• welfare and social protection measures must support women’s financial and social independence
• the realities of women’s lives, including their role in unpaid care and reproductive labour, must be reflected in economic modelling
• women must be included in economic policy making, and there must be gender competence in policymaking and economic leadership groups
• spending on skills and economic development must be gender-sensitive, to ensure that training programmes like the modern apprenticeship programme do not disadvantage girls and women; and wage policy, including the living wage, should be developed to address the undervaluation of women’s paid work.

These priorities haven’t changed with the outcome of the referendum but some of the context and timescale has.

Please let us know if you are able to come along. Please encourage friends and colleagues not already involved in SWBG to come too.

Contact Angela.OHagan@gcu.ac.uk or jill.wood@engender.org.uk with any queries. We look forward to seeing you soon.