Research and Analysis

An Overview of VAWG and the Role of Public Policy in Scotland in Prevention

Nov 28, 2023: This briefing paper examines the prevalence of VAWG and gender inequality in Scotland and highlights the urgent need for integration of a primary prevention approach within the Scottish policy landscape. VAWG is not only a justice or equalities policy issue, but one that all policymakers – regardless of their area of work – must play a role in preventing and ultimately eradicating.

Date of publication: November 2023

Walking Away: Why Women Are Leaving Their Positions As Councillors

Sep 27, 2023: An exploration of key factors turning women off from local politics.

Date of publication: September 2022.

Making Local Politics Work for Women: The experiences of women local councillors and their reasons for not seeking re-election

Sep 27, 2023: A student research report on retention rates of women councillors, including insights from interviews with women councillors who stepped down in 2022.

Date of publication: September 2022.

Reading into the News: A Review of Gender Representations of Politicians in the May 2022 Elections in the Scottish News

Sep 27, 2023: This research critically examines women politicians’ representations in the May 2022 election news.

Date of publication: September 2022.

What Women Want (from their Elected Representatives)

Sep 27, 2023: A quick “how-to” guide helping local councillors ensure the needs and concerns of women are central to local decision making.

Date of publication: September 2023.

Making It Happen For 2027: Transforming Local Democracy For Women

Sep 27, 2023: This leaflet contains recommendations for those in power on what can be done to achieve gender-equal representation in local politics.

Date of publication: September 2022.

A Gender Edit of Party Manifesto 2021

Apr 28, 2021: Ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections on the 6th May 2021, political parties have published commitments in manifestos covering a broad range of devolved policy areas. This gender edit contains a list of commitments made that explicitly reference women’s equality, or which are directly associated with Engender’s asks in our Vision for a Feminist Recovery Manifesto.

While many other areas or commitments will be of great interest to women such as policies around rent, primary health care or climate change measures, for example, unless the party themselves has noted a specific commitment to advance women’s equality or rights we have not included them in this particular summary. Nor have we included commitments for which power and responsibility rests with Westminster or, in the main, those that take the form of broad statements expressing positive attitudes towards equality without a substantive commitment.

This gender edit covers each of the five parties elected in 2016. A supplementary document summarising the commitments of the other 20 parties running for election in 2021 can be found here: https://www.engender.org.uk/content/publications/A-Supplementary-Gender-Edit-of-Party-Manifestos-2021.pdf

Date of Publication: April 2021

A supplementary gender edit of parties running in 2021

Apr 28, 2021: Engender has published a Gender Edit of the Manifestos published by each of the 5 parties elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2016, each of which is running in at least every region. This can be found here: https://www.engender.org.uk/content/publications/A-Gender-Edit-of-Party-Manifestos-2021.pdf

This document is a supplementary gender edit of the manifestos (where published) of the 20 other parties running at the Scottish Parliament election in 2021. Given the number of parties running, we have summarised each party’s commitments as they relate to women and gender equality and Engender’s Manifesto themes in an alphabetical list below. We have however not included every commitment that could be thematically related where the party itself has not made some reference to women or gendered considerations.

Date of publication: April 2021

Gender Edit of General Election 2019 Manifestos

Dec 4, 2019: This document is a ‘gender edit’ of the manifestos published by political parties in the run up to the snap General Election on 12th December; it pulls out relevant commitments from the manifestos of each of the six largest political parties standing in the General Election in Scotland. The edit includes direct references to ‘women’, ‘sex’, ‘gender’ and ‘equality’, as well as manifesto commitments covering a wide range of policy areas and services of interest to women and which are highly relevant to women’s daily lives. This summary does not offer analysis or critique of policies and commitments.

Date of publication: December 2019.

Sex and Power in Scotland 2017

Mar 6, 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 A Plan for Scotland: The Government's Programme for Scotland 2016-17

Sep 8, 2016: 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.

Date of publication: September 2016.

Equal Voice, Equal Power: The Case for Gender Quotas in Scotland

Mar 16, 2016: 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 of publication: March 2016.

Scottish Labour Party Leadership Q&A with Engender November 2014

Nov 21, 2014: Candidates for the leader and deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party answer questions on gender equality.

Date of publication: November 2014

Scotland's Futures: Women, Politics and Power

Aug 20, 2014: 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 of publication: August 2014

Women in Scotland: Facts and Stats 2012 Calendar

Mar 5, 2014: Women in Scotland calendar 2012: monthly facts and stats on women's inequality.

Date of publication: January 2012.

Quotas in the Scottish Parliament: Festival of Politics Briefing Paper

Mar 5, 2014: This briefing paper lays out Engender's position on parliamentary quotas. It was produced for the Festival of Politics, 2011.

Date of publication: July 2011.

Politics in Your Pocket Resource

Mar 5, 2014: A pocket guide to gender inequality across political life in Scotland.

Date of publication: 2010.