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Engender blog

Invitation to Tender: Equal Representation 2025/26 Candidate Research.

Engender’s Equal Representation in Politics Project aims to help create a Scotland where there is sustainable equal representation of women in all their diversity in politics, ensuring women’s perspectives shape decision-making, reducing gender inequality, and creating better outcomes for women and society.

The project seeks to create change by encouraging all those who hold power to shape the political landscape, including political parties, councils, government, and parliament, to take action to increase the representation of women and improve levels of diversity among women’s representation.

We are seeking a consultant:

To review and collate a list of women MSPs who have publicly stated that they intend to stand down before the Holyrood 2026 elections.
To review and collate the reasons given publicly by these MSPs for reaching the decision to stand down.
To compile a list of candidates for each major party for the Holyrood 2021, broken down by protected characteristic where possible.
To compile a list of candidates for each major party for the Holyrood 2026, broken down by protected characteristic where possible.
To create and circulate a survey, and analyse and collate findings, of all women MSPs standing down on the factors that influenced their decision.

The deadline for tenders to be submitted is 5pm, Monday 15th September.