NICOLA Sturgeon has welcomed "bold recommendations" to tackle gender inequality in Scotland.
An advisory group has made a series of recommendations that call on the Scottish Government to have more powers over equality legislation, implement analysis of gender imbalances into the Scottish Budget and have Public Bodies collect data to advance equality between groups.
The First Minister's National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) was set up to help drive forward action to tackle gender inequality and has produced annual reports since 2018.
The NACWG made recommendations of the Scottish Government that will do more to tackle gender inequality in Scotland.
Sturgeon said: "I asked the National Advisory Council on Women and Girls to think differently about how we make Scotland a more equal country for future generations. I thank them for their bold recommendations."
There were four key recommendations made by the advisory group:
- Advocate for full devolution of equality legislation and policy-making to the Scottish Parliament.
- Integrate intersectional gender budget analysis into the Scottish Budget process and give this a statutory footing.
- Give Public Bodies additional specific duties on gathering intersectional data to advance equality between groups, and integrate intersectional budget analysis into budget setting procedures.
- Expansion of mandate of the Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) with resourcing to allow it to take on cases on behalf of individuals.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon joins world leaders in call for gender equality in climate policy
On devolution of equality legislation, the Scottish Government said that its position was that independence is the best way to protect and enhance the power of the Scottish Parliament, but said they will "continue to press" for additional powers "as long as Scotland remains in the UK".
The Scottish Government said that it would work with relevant bodies to develop an approach to further integrate intersectional gender analysis into the Scottish Budget process as part of wider work on equality and human rights budgeting.
Intersectional gender analysis looks at how gender power relations affect the lives of different people and create differences in the needs and experiences of different genders, and how policies, services and programmes can help to address these differences.
In terms of the group's recommendations for Public Bodies - which includes organisations like Creative Scotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Scottish Water - the Scottish Government said that it is seeking views on additional duties relating to intersectional data collection and usage, and intersectional gender budgeting.
On expanding the mandate of the SHRC, the Government accepted the recommendation and said it will consult with the commission and parliament to consider how this can be done.
A new Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights was created in response to previous recommendations by the NACWG.
In the latest Programme for Government, there was also a commitment to build a new system of wraparound childcare for school age children, beginning with the provision of funded early years education to all one- and two-year-olds from low-income households, to give their parents more opportunity to work, train or study.
READ MORE: Study into achieving gender equality offers blueprint for Scotland
Sturgeon said: "I am clear that realising our shared ambition for gender equality is a long-term endeavour, not a quick fix. Welcoming recommendations is easy, putting them into practice in a way that is meaningful and delivers real change, is often not.
"I am therefore pleased to accept the NACWG’s advice that it continue for a further three years, with a refreshed membership and a focus on accountability and monitoring implementation of its 2018-2020 recommendations.
"I have said before, that gender equality is an unwon cause. That is true here in Scotland and around the world. I say this, not to minimise the positive changes and the progress that we have made, but because complacency can be dangerous when it makes us numb to the status quo. It is why I appointed the NACWG and why I want it to continue."
You can read the full response to the NACWG's recommendations on the Scottish Government website.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel