Research and analysis

UK General Election 2017: Gender Summary of Party Manifestos

This document contains a summary of commitments made in party manifestos for the 2017 General Election that are relevant to Engender's work in advancing and enabling women's equality.

UK General Election 2017: Priorities for women’s rights and equality

This document details three key asks from Engender for the 2017 General Elections. We are asking all political parties and candidates in across the UK to include the commitments, which will protect and advance women’s equality and rights, in their manifestos.

Parliamentary briefing on Child Tax Credit and Child Element of Universal Credit ('family cap')

Engender's briefing in advance of the Scottish Parliament debate on Child Tax Credit and Child Element of Universal Credit (known as the 'family cap', and including the so-called 'rape clause').

Date of publication: 24th April 2017

International Women's Day 2017 Parliamentary Briefing

This International Women’s Day Engender is drawing attention to two overlapping areas of women’s inequality: the persistent glass ceiling that has resulted in women filling only 27% of Scotland’s 3029 positions of power across political institutions, public sector, media and cultural bodies, and corporate world; and women’s persistently high share of unpaid domestic and reproductive labour.

Date: March 2017

Sex and Power in Scotland 2017

This report sets out the extent of men’s over-representation in positions of authority and influence in Scotland. In 2017, women still have unequal access to power, decision-making and participation throughout all areas of public life, with men holding 73% of the 3029 positions of power and authority identified.

Date of publication: March 2017

A gender edit of the Scottish Government draft budget 2017-18

This document is a ‘gender edit’ guide to the Scottish Government Draft Budget 2016-17. It includes all extracts that refer directly to women and gender, and selected sections on equalities and social justice more broadly, where there are clear implications for women and girls in Scotland.

Date: January 2017

Our bodies, our choice: the case for a Scottish approach to abortion

The devolution of abortion law as part of the Scotland Act 2016 also provides Scotland with the opportunity to develop a Scottish approach to women’s reproductive rights, incorporating improved, modernised and standardised service provision underpinned by a progressive devolved legal framework. Such a change to the legal framing of abortion should reflect international best practice and be developed following engagement with women, practitioners, and human rights and gender advocates in Scotland.

This report, supported by Scottish Women's Aid, Rape Crisis Scotland, Zero Tolerance, Close the Gap, NUS Scotland and Amnesty International Scotland sets out the current situation around abortion in Scotland, and makes a number of recommendations to the Scottish Government.

Date of publication: December 2016

Gender Edit of A PLAN FOR SCOTLAND: THE GOVERNMENT’S PROGRAMME FOR SCOTLAND 2016-17

This document is a ‘gender edit’ guide to the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2016-17. It includes all extracts that refer directly to women and gender, and selected text on issues where there are clear implications for women and girls in Scotland, such as social security and unpaid care. The Programme for Government confirms the Scottish Government’s legislative programme for the opening year of the parliamentary term and it is worth noting that many of the policy and funding commitments set out are not new announcements.

September 2016

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.

Supported by: Carers Scotland, Close the Gap, Scottish Refugee Council, Scottish Women's Aid, Inclusion Scotland, The Poverty Alliance, BEMIS, the Scottish Trades Union Congress, the Irish Heritage Foundation, Rape Crisis Scotland, the Sottish Women's Budget Group, Zero Tolerance, the Young Women's Movement in Scotland, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, the Wheatley Group, Barnardo's Scotland, Oxfam Scotland, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, One Parent Families Scotland.

Published: March 2016

Gender and the Workplace Parliamentary Briefing

A parliamentary briefing ahead of the debate on Women and the workplace in the Scottish Parliament on June 29th.

Date: June 2016

The EU referendum and gender equality

This briefing paper sets out the current gender equality law to which EU member states are bound under the terms of their membership, the impact that this legislation has had on UK policy, and current EU programmes, policies and funding priorities that promote gender equality. Women’s rights and equality have largely been missing from the EU referendum debate, and we hope that this information will be useful to those who are weighing their vote.

Published June 2016

Securing Women's Futures: Summary of Recommendations

A summary of recommendations from 'Securing Women's Futures: using Scotland's new social security powers to close the gender equality gap'.

June 2016

Securing Women's Futures: using Scotland's new social security powers to close the gender equality gap

This joint report from Engender, Close the Gap, Scottish Women's Aid, the Scottish Refugee Council and Carer Scotland summarises why and how women are affected by social security policy and sets out ways in which new powers can be engaged to increase women’s equality in Scotland. Our recommendations are presented in terms of systemic gender inequalities that dictate the impact of social security policy on women – paid work, unpaid work, domestic abuse and multiple discrimination. We also highlight experiences of women with whom we work. It is this documenting of daily realities and of growing anger, fear and stress that remains the basis of our call to action on women’s social security.

June 2016

United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: shadow report

The sixth periodic report of the government of the United Kingdom on measures taken to give effect to ICESCR.

April 2016

Gender edit: party manifestos for Holyrood 2016

A gender edit of all of the five main party manifestos, which pulls out commitments on issues relating to women's equality. Date: April 2016

Gender edit: supplementary party manifestos for Holyrood 2016

A gender edit of the Women's Equality Party, RISE, and UKIP manifestos for the 2016 Holyrood elections. Date: April 2016

Unblocking the Pipeline: Gender and Employability in Scotland

This paper represents Engender’s first thoughts on the challenge of gendering employability. It sets out the gendered context in which employability policy and programmes must operate. It briefly describes the ways in which women’s experiences of the labour market, of education and skills, and of social security are different. It then raises some specific issues about how employability work in Scotland is developing, before finally making some recommendations on how this could be better gendered.

Date: March 2016

A gender edit of the UK Government budget 2016

This document is a ‘gender edit’ guide to the UK Government’s Budget 2016. It includes all extracts that refer directly to women or gender, and selected policy announcements that have direct implications for women and girls in Scotland. Previously announced decisions, for instance exemption from the benefits cap for certain carers, or cuts to social security established in the Summer Budget and Autumn Statement 2015, are not included.

We point to explicitly gendered issues, rather than providing a gender analysis of the wider content or intersectional analysis of implications for disabled women and other groups. The UK Women’s Budget Group will publish a full gender assessment of this budget on 7 April.

Published: 18th March 2016

Equal voice, equal power: the case for gender quotas in Scotland

Women have unequal access to power, decision-making and participation throughout all areas of public life in Scotland. In order to participate fully in society and to exercise equal citizenship, women must be able to contribute across the spectrum of civic life. Evidence from around the world shows that increased representation for women in politics has a positive impact on both gender equality issues and social policy more broadly. Gender balance in parliament, local government and around decision-making tables influences both the focus and outcomes of discussions.

This report sets out the case for gender quotas in Scotland; looking at international examples, analysing the current gender balancing mechanisms at play in Scotland, debunking some commonly held myths about quotas, and making recommendations to the Scottish Government and political parties.

Date: March 2016

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. The 2016 Scottish Parliament elections present an opportunity for political parties to show leadership on gender equality and take the bold action that is needed to truly address intractable problems like endemic violence against women, our unjust and unsustainable economy, social insecurity for women and multiple discrimination.

This manifesto is the result of consultation with women and equalities organisations across Scotland.

Date: October 2015

A gender edit of the Scottish Government draft budget 2016-17

This document is a ‘gender edit’ guide to the Scottish Government Draft Budget 2016-17. It includes all extracts that refer directly to women and gender, and selected sections on equalities and social justice more broadly, where there are clear implications for women and girls in Scotland. These include all references that directly relate to the calls we make in our Gender Matters manifesto for Holyrood 2016.

Date: December 2015

Welfare reform committee debate on women

In respective budgets since 2010, between 70% and 85% of cuts to public spending on benefits, taxation, pay and pensions have come from women’s incomes.

Engender welcomes this parliamentary debate and the Welfare Reform Committee’s report on women’s social security. In partnership with other women’s organisations, we have worked to highlight discrimination against women within the austerity agenda. ‘Welfare reforms’ and wider austerity measures are undermining progress towards gender equality, and have a major impact on women’s lives.

Since the Welfare Reform Committee held its inquiry into women and welfare, the context for women has worsened. The House of Commons Library estimate that 70% of the £34 billion worth of cuts announced in the UK Government’s ‘summer budget’ will fall on women. Further extensive cuts will have been announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement by the time this debate takes place. As a result of structural gender inequality, a similar gender profile can be expected. Certain groups of women, including lone mothers, refugees, disabled women, unpaid carers and women experiencing domestic abuse face multiple and particularly extreme impacts as a result.

The role of the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament to protect social security for women is therefore more vital than ever. Strategic action is manifestly needed, or else existing commitments and political ambition on gender equality will not be achieved. Along with Scottish Women’s Aid, Scottish Refugee Council and Close the Gap, we are calling for a high-level summit on women’s social security, to develop such an approach.
This briefing sets out the current context for women and our proposals regarding forthcoming and existing powers over social security and related policy areas.

Gender edit: autumn statement

This is a gender edit of the Autumn Statement 2015, which pulls out all of the most gendered commitments. Date: November 2015

Gender edit of the Scottish Programme for Government 2015-16

A 'gender edit' guide to the Scottish Government's Programme for Government 2015-16.

Scotland Bill briefing

A briefing on the Scotland Bill before report stage. Date: August 2015

Gender edit: summer budget 2015

This is a gender edit of the Summer Budget 2015, which pulls out all of the most gendered commitments. Date: July 2015

The S word: women's experience of intra-Christian sectarianism in Scotland

For the last two years, Engender has been involved in an ambitious project to speak to women across Scotland about intra-Christian sectarianism, and its effect on their lives. This report summarises what women have told us about their experiences, and discusses ways that taking a gendered approach may change the way that anti-sectarianism initiatives are delivered in Scotland. Date: May 2015

Making sure your work works: including women, girls, and gender in anti-sectarianism work

For the last two years, Engender has been involved in an ambitious project to speak to women across Scotland about intra-Christian sectarianism, and its effect on their lives. This toolkit summarises what women have told us about their experiences, and guides funders, public bodies, and third sector organisations working on anti-sectarian initiatives to include women, girls, and gender in that work. Date: May 2015

The S word: screening notes

For the last two years, Engender has been involved in an ambitious project to speak to women across Scotland about intra-Christian sectarianism, and its effect on their lives. Part of this work included the making of a participatory film, led by three young women. These are the screening notes for that film. Date: May 2015

A widening gap: women and welfare reform

Since 2010, £26 billion worth of cuts have been made to benefits, tax credits, pay and pensions. 85% of this has been taken from women’s incomes.

This is a joint report from Engender, Scottish Refugee Council, Scottish Women’s Aid, Close the Gap, and Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations looking at the devastating impact of welfare report on women in Scotland. Date: April 2015

A gender summary of the major parties' 2015 general election manifesto commitments

Our summary focuses on those issues that are of most relevance to Engender’s work to advance and enable women’s equality. These include anti-discrimination law, social security, income and women’s labour market participation, care and childcare, women’s political representation and representation on boards, immigration and asylum, access to justice, LGBT, disability, and race equality measures, human rights, and peace and security.

What's next? Women's equality in Scotland 20 years after the Beijing Platform for Action

It is twenty years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was negotiated at the fourth world conference on women convened by the United Nations in China. Governments committed to a global framework for women’s empowerment and a diverse agenda to advance gender equality. The UK is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and is obliged to report against the twelve ‘critical areas of concern’ identified in the Platform. 1 Equality and human rights also engage devolved issues and the Scottish Government is therefore accountable for aspects of the UK’s international commitments on gender equality and women’s rights.

Since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, successive administrations have worked to tackle the entrenched inequalities that persist in Scotland, as they do elsewhere in the world. We welcome the recent commitments that have been made by Scottish Government to move this agenda forward, and the renewed focus on some of the most intractable gender gaps.

This briefing paper sets out the current context in Scotland across ten areas of the Platform. It outlines recent progress, particular gaps and challenges, and courses of action that the Scottish Government must pursue to deliver on its ambitions. The recommendations that we set out relate to policies and initiatives that are either well-established or already under development by Scottish Government, rather than the new measures that will also be necessary to achieve gender equality in Scotland. The Scottish Government’s existing commitments must be implemented as a matter of priority, or else Scotland will continue to fall short of realising women’s human rights.

MSP briefing for welfare reform and Smith Commission debate

A briefing paper for MSPs in advance of the Welfare Reform Committee debate on welfare reform and the Smith Commission on 18 December 2014. Date: December 2014

Scottish Labour Party leadership: Q&A with Engender

Candidates for the leader and deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party answer questions on gender equality. Date: November 2014

Gender edit of the draft Scottish budget 2015-16

A gender edit of the draft Scottish budget 2015-16. This document pulls out all of the mentions of women and gender, and descriptions of spending on programmes that are particularly relevant to women. Date: October 104

Scotland's futures: women and the referendum

This briefing is part of a series that sets out how power and responsibility to tackle critical gender equality issues are divided between Holyrood and Westminster.

Scotland's futures: women, politics and power

This briefing is part of a series that sets out how power and responsibility to tackle critical gender equality issues are divided between Holyrood and Westminster. It is part of Engender’s contribution to the independence referendum debate. Date: August 2014

MSP briefing for increasing opportunities for women debate

A briefing paper for MSPs in advance of the Scottish Government debate on increasing opportunities for women in the Scottish Parliament on 20 August 2014. Date: August 2014

Scotland's futures: violence against women

This briefing is part of a series that sets out how power and responsibility to tackle critical gender equality issues are divided between Holyrood and Westminster. It is part of Engender’s contribution to the independence referendum debate. Date: August 2014

MSP briefing for welfare debate

A briefing paper for MSPs in advance of the Scottish Government debate on welfare in the Scottish Parliament on 13 August 2014. Date: August 2014

Scotland's futures: women and care

This briefing is part of a series that sets out how power and responsibility to tackle critical gender equality issues are divided between Holyrood and Westminster. It is part of Engender’s contribution to the independence referendum debate. Date: August 2014

Scotland's futures: women and poverty

This briefing is part of a series that sets out how power and responsibility to tackle critical gender equality issues are divided between Holyrood and Westminster. It is part of Engender’s contribution to the independence referendum debate. Date: July 2014

An abuse of power: African women’s experience of the asylum process in Scotland

Engender worked with Umoja Inc, a network of African single mothers seeking asylum in Scotland, to explore some of the gendered barriers in the asylum process. Critical to these is a failure by UKBA and other Scottish and UK agencies to understand the patriarchies within the women's countries of origin. Date: July 2014

Scotland’s futures: women and the labour market

This briefing is part of a series that sets out how power and responsibility to tackle critical gender equality issues are divided between Holyrood and Westminster. It is part of Engender’s contribution to the independence referendum debate. Date: July 2014

Common weal: eradicating gender inequality and violence against women

This paper on gender inequality and violence against women was written by Lesley Orr, Emma Ritch, Marsha Scott, and Nel Whiting in May 2014. An edited version appears as part of the text of the Common Weal book. An expanded version will be published as a Common Weal paper later in the year. Date: May 2014

Women and sectarianism in Scotland: beyond football

In December 2012 Engender was funded to carry out a series of small workshops with women's organisations in Scotland. Working with existing partners, we held a number of short sessions to explore women's perspectives on intra-Christian sectarianism in Scotland. Women told us that their experience of sectarianism is different from men's. Our initial findings challenge some of the narratives around sectarianism in Scotland. Date: March 2014

Gender and 'welfare reform': a joint position paper

This joint position paper on gender and ‘welfare reform’ draws together the multiple ways in which women are penalised by cuts to the benefits and tax credits system, and describes the gender inequality that accounts for these impacts. It also makes a set of recommendations to Scottish Government as it shapes its ‘mitigation’ response to the UK’s ‘welfare reform’ agenda. We produced it in collaboration with Close the Gap, Scottish Refugee Council, Scottish Women’s Aid, Scottish Women’s Convention and Zero Tolerance. Date: April 2014

Gender equality and Scotland's futures

This policy report is Engender's contribution to the Scottish independence debate. It takes stock of the current context in Scotland across a spectrum of gender issues and outlines where power and responsibility for gender equality currently rest. Date: March 2014

A gender edit of Scottish Labour's 'red paper'

This document is a ‘gender edit’ guide to the Scottish Labour party’s ‘red paper’ which sets out its case for a ‘no vote’ in the referendum. It extracts passages that refer directly to gender and women, or where there are clear implications for women and girls in Scotland. Date: March 2014

Scottish NGO briefing for UN special rapporteur on violence against women

Joint briefing paper for the UN Rapporteur on Violence Against Women. Produced by Engender, Scottish Women's Aid, Rape Crisis Scotland, Scottish Refugee Council, and Human Rights Consortium Scotland for the UN Rapporteur's UK Country Mission in 2014. Date: March 2014

A gender edit of Scotland’s future: your guide to an independent Scotland

This document is a ‘gender edit’ of the Scottish Government's white paper, which sets out its case for a ‘yes vote’ in the referendum. Date: November 2013

Preparing to care: woman to woman – a guide to becoming a carer

This guide was prepared by women from the Inverness area who found themselves caring for their partners. They came together as a group to take part in Engender's 'Equality Counting' project funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Date: September 2012

Multiple jeopardy: the impacts of the UK Government’s proposed welfare reforms on women in Scotland -background paper

This policy paper outlines the multiple ways in which women are set to be adversely impacted by the UK Government's 'welfare reform' agenda. Date: January 2012

Multiple jeopardy: the impacts of the UK Government’s proposed welfare reforms on women in Scotland – briefing paper

This briefing paper outlines the multiple ways in which women are set to be adversely impacted by the UK Government's 'welfare reform' agenda. Date: January 2012

Women in scotland 2012: facts and stats

Women in Scotland calendar 2012: monthly facts and stats on women's inequality. Date: January 2012

Quotas in the Scottish Parliament: briefing paper

This briefing paper lays out Engender's position on parliamentary quotas. It was produced for the Festival of Politics, 2011. Date: July 2011

Equality counting case studies and learning brief

This briefing paper outlines learning from Engender's 'Equality Counting' project funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Date: July 2011

Inequality of access to NHS services by trans women

This report is part of Engender's 'Women thinking equality' series on intersecting equalities issues. It outlines findings of participatory action research on the inequality of access to NHS services by trans women. Date: 2011

Politics in your pocket

A pocket guide to gender inequality across political life in Scotland. Date: 2010

Women thinking equality: age

This briefing paper on gender and age presents findings from Engender's 'Women Thinking Equality' project. Date: 2009

Women thinking equality series: disability

This briefing paper on gender and disability presents findings from Engender's 'Women Thinking Equality' project. Date: 2009

Women thinking equality series: economics

This briefing paper on gender and income presents findings from Engender's 'Women Thinking Equality' project. Date: 2009

Women thinking equality series: race

This briefing paper on gender and race presents findings from Engender's 'Women Thinking Equality' project. Date: 2009

Women thinking equality series: religion

This briefing paper on gender and religion presents findings from Engender's 'Women Thinking Equality' project. Date: 2009

Women thinking equality series: sexual orientation

This briefing paper on gender and sexual orientation presents findings from Engender's 'Women Thinking Equality' project. Date: 2009

Women thinking equality: the summing up

This paper represents the culmination of all our thinking over the life of the Women Thinking Equality project.
June 2009

Women thinking equality series: transgender

This briefing paper on gender and transgender presents findings from Engender's 'Women Thinking Equality' project. Date: 2009

Gender audit series: care and caring

Gender audit series: crime and justice

Gender audit series: education and training

Gender audit series: health

Gender audit series: housing

Gender audit series: income and wealth

Gender audit series: participation in political & public life

Gender audit series: population, households & families

Gender audit series: the labour market

Gender audit series: transport

Cause & consequence: violence against women statement

A leaflet outlining Engender's position on violence against women. Date: 2008