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IMPROVING THE POSITION OF WOMEN IN SCOTLAND: AN AGENDA FOR ACTION
CONCLUSION
We hope and trust that this report will be considered and discussed by women's organisations and also taken into account by all those whose responsibilities affect the lives of women
We acknowledged at the outset that women are not all the same. Whilst we have attempted to identify the areas of common concern and the key issues of relevance to most women, we are clear that the experiences and needs of some groups of women may require different strategies and approaches. There may be different priorities for disabled women, women from minority ethnic communities, older women, lesbians or women of different faiths. We have not attempted to describe what these might be because we believe that this should be the subject of specific dialogue and consultation with the relevant groups of women.
We therefore recommend that the Minister enter into dialogue as soon as possible with the different women's interests and explore in more detail the issues arising from multiple identity and/or compound discrimination. We recommend that this report serves as a basis for that dialogue but that the Scottish Executive is open to broadening the agenda if required to encompass the different perspectives which must be reflected.
We are grateful for the opportunity that has been presented with the formation of this short life group to contribute to the development of work to improve the lives of women in Scotland. We hope that our deliberations have been helpful in this regard.
SUMMARY OF ACTION POINT RECOMMENDATIONS
The table below summarises the action points made in Section Two on key policy issues to be addressed, and in Section Three on political institutions and policy approaches.
Action points:
- the steps that will help us to reach the objective
- these are categorised as either immediate, medium-term or long-term actions. We think that these categories of action points can be delivered in the following time-scales:
- (I) Immediate - action to start now and to be substantially delivered by the end of 2004 if not sooner;
- (M) Medium-term - action to start now and to be substantially delivered by April 2007 (the end of the term of the current Scottish Executive and Scottish Parliament); and
- (L) Long-term - action to start now, but recognition that the deep-rooted changes in attitudes and behaviours required means that realistically this action may take a decade or more to be achieved.
In the table below:
- The first column summarises the recommended action points - full descriptions of these points are in Sections Two and Three;
- The second column lists who, as a minimum, should be involved in delivering the action point; and
- The third column categorises the action point as either an immediate, medium-term or long-term actions
Please see the Appendix on Acronyms for explanations of the acronyms used in the following table
Action | Involving | I, M or L |
POLICY ISSUES |
Equal pay |
Developing a strategic plan | SE to lead, but work with WEU, DTI, EOC, employers and unions | I |
1. Setting a target | ditto | I- L |
2. Prioritising sectors for action on equal pay | ditto | I - L |
3. Pay reviews | All employers to carry them out; SEDD, SEETLLD, EOC, unions, share holders and general public to apply pressure to ensure they are done | M |
4. Public sector procurement policies | SEDD, all Scottish public sector bodies | M |
5. Flexible working arrangements | SEDD, SEETLLD, DTI, DWP, EOC, Fair Play, all employers | L |
6. Programmes to tackle gender segregation | SEED, SEETLLD, Enterprise Networks, sectoral employers & professional bodies; schools, FE and HE institutions | L |
7. Women decision makers in business and economic development | SE Public Bodies Unit; new Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland, CBI, Institute of Directors, boards of private companies | L |
Low pay, job segregation and unemployment |
1. Remove barriers to women pursuing particular careers. | All employers, EOC; SEED, schools and FE and HE institutions | I - L |
2. Encourage more women and men into non-traditional areas of work | SEED, SEETLLD, Enterprise Networks, schools and FE and HE institutions, Jobcentre Plus | L |
3. Training audits | SEETLLD, Employers | M |
4. In work training opportunities | Employers, Enterprise Networks, CBI, FSB, STUC and SEETLLD | I |
5. Mentoring for business start-ups | SEETLLD, STUC, employer representatives | I |
6. Public sector strategies on pay | Local authorities, NHSScotland, other public sector employers | M |
7. Careers guidance and advice | SEETLLD, Careers Scotland | I |
Promoting diversity in the workplace |
1. Make the business case for diversity | SEETLLD, Enterprise Networks, DTI, DWP, EOC | I |
2. Subsidies and incentives for SMEs | SEETLLD, Scotland Office, DTI | I |
3. Benefits of flexible working opportunities | DTI, DWP, SEETLLD, Fair Play, EOC | M - L |
4. Flexible working in the public sector | SE, EOC, COSLA, STUC | M |
5. Link to forthcoming legislation on age discrimination | DTI, DWP, SEDD, SEETLLD, STUC, employers representatives, employers | I |
6. Link to Fresh Talent initiative | SEFCSD | I |
Childcare |
1. Increasing provision and setting targets on childcare | SEED; local authorities | M |
2. Improved funding mechanisms for childcare | SEED; local authorities | M |
3. Community based childcare and pilot projects | SEED; Communities Scotland; local authorities | M |
4. Social Economy childcare initiatives | SEED, Communities Scotland; SEETLLD | I |
5. Encouragement of employer support for childcare | SEED, SEETLLD, STUC, employers representatives, employers | M |
6. Enhancing the quality and value of the workforce | SEED, SEETLLD local authorities, employers | M |
7. Liaison with UK Government | SE, DTI, DWP, HMT | I |
8. Properly valuing unpaid childcare work | SEED, EOC | M |
9. Encourage fair shares in childcare | SEED, SEETLLD, SEDD, DTI, DWP, EOC, Fair Play | L |
Caring (for older people and people with disabilities) and personal assistance |
1. Increasing support for carers | SEED, local authorities | M |
2. Encouragement of employer support for caring responsibilities | SEED, EOC, Fair Play, employers representatives | I - M |
3. Liaison with UK Government | SEED, DWP, HMT | I |
4. Properly valuing unpaid carer work | SEED, local authorities | M |
5. Ensure choice in provision and receipt of care or assistance | SEED, local authorities, other care providers | M |
Poverty and social exclusion |
1. Report on gender awareness as part of Social Inclusion Work | SEDD in the lead, all other SE Departments | M |
2. Provide support for projects that are beneficial to women | SEDD in the lead, all other SE Departments | I - M |
3. Ensure that women's voices are heard | All SE Departments, Communities Scotland, local authorities, other decision-making bodies | I - M |
4. Raise awareness about the links between poverty and age | DWP, SEDD | I |
Difficulties in access to services, including in rural areas |
1. Review gender awareness in public services | All SE Departments, local authorities, all public service providers | I - M |
2. Improve the position of women workers in public services | All service providers | M |
3. Using Community Resources | SEED and local authorities | I |
4. Resource Allocation | SEFCSD in lead, all SE Departments | M |
Violence and safety |
1. Maintain momentum | SEJD and partners in National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland | I |
2. Consider needs of particular groups of women | SEJD | I |
3. Tackle all hate crimes | SEJD | M |
Influence and decision-making |
1. Political representation | Political parties, women's organisations | I - L |
2. Reform of the electoral system for local government | SEFCSD, local authorities | M |
3. Public bodies | SE Public Bodies Unit in lead | I - M |
4. The judiciary | SEJD, Judicial Appointments Board | M |
5. Business | DTI, SEETLLD, Institute of Directors | L |
6. Trade unions, voluntary and civic organisations | STUC, SCVO, Scottish Leadership Foundation, Scottish Civic Forum and their liaison SE Departments | I |
7. Scottish Executive support for consultation with women | SEDD, women's organisations, Scottish Civic Forum | I |
POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS AND POLICY APPROACHES |
The Scottish Parliament |
1. Debate on the Group's report | Scottish Parliament | I |
2. Creation of a mechanism to monitor the mainstreaming of gender issues in all committee business. | Scottish Parliament | I |
Equal Opportunities Committee |
1. Give a higher profile to the issues of women's inequality and seek to engage with the relevant women's organisations. | Equal Opportunities Committee, women's organisations | I |
2. Take this report into account in drawing up its next workplan, including its work to mainstream equalities into the work of all of the other committees in the Parliament. | Equal Opportunities Committee, all other Parliament Committees | I |
The Scottish Executive: Mainstreaming equality |
1. Consider the impact on men and women and different groups of men and women from the outset in all new policy development and draft legislation. | All SE Departments | M |
2. Annual reporting on progress on mainstreaming, identification of 'champions' to promote mainstreaming, including information on mainstreaming on the Scottish Executive website by the end of 2003, and developing mechanisms for measuring success by the end of 2004 | SE Equality Unit to lead, all SE Departments | I |
Monitoring, research and evaluation |
1. Development of a body of in-depth empirical research in Scotland and development of systems of evaluation that provide assessments of gender impacts of policies. | SECRU, all SE Departments, other research commissioning bodies | I |
2. Monitoring and evaluation of all new projects; standardisation of data collection, better integration of gender analysis of data and research into policies and more effective dissemination strategies for gender research. | SE Equality Unit, SECRU, All SE Departments | I |
3. Think through what their role should be in taking forward the recommendations listed in this report, and whether/what research would be required to facilitate them to do so, including: | All SE Departments and other stakeholders | I |
4. Regular reporting on all objectives listed in report, and putting in place research and evaluation programmes | SE Departments, SECRU | I-L |
5. Review evidence of gender pay gap | SEDD, SEETLLD, SECRU | I-L |
6. Assess impact of pay reviews | SEDD, SEETLLD, SECRU | I-L |
7. Collect data on position of women in decision-making in business | SEETLLD, SECRU, Enterprise Networks | I-L |
8. Promote research on the business case on for diversity and flexible working | SEETLLD, SECRU | I-M |
9. Calculate value of unpaid care | SECRU | I |
10. Provide better data on demand for and usage of childcare | SEED, and local authorities | I-L |
11. Evaluate gender impacts of social inclusion policies | SEDD, SECRU | I-L |
12. Review gender awareness of public service delivery | All relevant departments | I-M |
13. Assess how work on domestic violence meets needs of specific groups | SEJD, SECRU | I-M |
14. Promote research on women and decision-making | SEDD, SEETLLD, SECRU, SEnt, CBI, STUC, SCVO | I-L |
Statutory duty requiring public bodies to promote gender equality |
1. Assess the impact of statutory duties in promoting gender equality and consider how this policy approach may be applied in Scotland as part of an overall mainstreaming strategy | SE Equality Unit | M |
2. Report on the impact of the relevant equality clauses of legislation passed in the first session of the Scottish Parliament. If it is being found to be effective, an equality clause should be included in all Scottish Executive legislation. | All relevant SE Departments | M |
Awareness raising and campaigning about gender equality issues |
1. Raise the profile of women's inequality and the issues facing women through a campaign, such as those run on domestic abuse and anti-racism. | All relevant SE Departments | M |
Consultation with women |
1. Proper resourcing for and access to and engagement with the relevant people in the Executive, Parliament and other decision-making organisations for the new Women's Convention. The Women's Convention should be invited to consider this report. | SE Equality Unit, all SE Departments, Scottish Parliament, other decision-making bodies, the Women's Convention, women's organisations | I |
2. Local events and consultations involving the Executive, Parliament and women's organisations. | SE Equality Unit, all SE Departments, Scottish Parliament, women's organisations | I |
3. The Minister for Communities should enter into dialogue as soon as possible with the different women's interests and organisations working with other groups of which women are potentially members and explore in more detail the issues arising from multiple identity and/or compound discrimination. | Minister for Communities, women's organisations | I |
Relations between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government |
1. More proactive role in promoting UK policies in the Scottish context and better collaborative working between the Scottish Executive and UK Government Departments | All relevant SE and UK Government Departments | I |
2. Ensuring that the views of women in Scotland are reflected at a UK and European level through the appropriate government machinery, and should consult with the Equal Opportunities Committee as part of this process. | All relevant SE and UK Government Departments, EU institutions | I |
3. Better information on gender issues on the Scottish Executive website | SE Equality Unit | I |
4. Ensure that as much authority as possible is devolved within the structure of a new Single Equality Body | SE Equality Unit, Scottish equality bodies | I |
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF GROUP MEMBERS
Professor Joan Stringer, Convenor
Professor Joan Stringer is the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Napier University and a former Equal Opportunities Commissioner. Joan also chaired the group establishing the Single Equality Commission in Northern Ireland. Her other public appointments have included membership of the Consultative Steering Group on the Scottish Parliament and membership of the Scottish Committee of the National (UK) Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (Dearing Committee). Joan's career in higher education began in 1978 when she tutored part-time while studying for a PhD in Politics. In 1980, Professor Stringer moved to Aberdeen where she lectured and researched politics and public administration at the Robert Gordon University. She became Head of School in Public Administration and Law in 1988 and was appointed Assistant Principal in 1991. In 1996, Joan was appointed Principal and Vice Patron of Queen Margaret University College in Edinburgh. Joan's career in higher education has been characterised by a strong commitment to equality of access to higher education and she regularly speaks and writes on equality and diversity issues.
Rowena Arshad
Rowena Arshad is the Director for the Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland and Senior Lecturer within the University of Edinburgh. She was appointed Commissioner for the Equal Opportunities Commission in 2001. She is currently also on the Boards of the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council, Edinburgh Telford's College and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education. Previously she was a member of the Independent Committee on Student Finance (Cubie Committee), Working Group on Guidelines in Sex Education (Repeal 2A) and the Race Equality Advisory Forum set up by the Scottish Executive. Currently, she chairs the Scottish Executive Widening Access to Council Membership Progress Group. Rowena is community education trained, gaining her first post- school qualification as a mature student. She worked in the voluntary sector prior to joining higher education. She was instrumental in starting the after school club in the primary school her children attended and in the setting of LinkNet Mentoring Initiative which provides a mentoring service to members of the Edinburgh, Lothian and Fife communities. Rowena was also very active in the STUC Black Workers' Committee and was a member of the STUC General Council for many years. Her main concern is in the area of recognising multiple discriminations whether as a service provider, an educator or member of society.
Maria Fyfe
Was MP for Glasgow Maryhill 1987 - 2001, retired. UK Opposition spokesperson on Women. On Scottish shadow team as spokesperson on Women, Education and Health. Chaired Scottish all-party group on children. Chaired Labour backbench committee on international development. Convenor of the Women's Issues Group on Scottish Constitutional Convention. Campaigned for 50:50 representation in Scottish Parliament and family-friendly hours.
Glasgow District Councillor 1980 - 1987, vice-chair Finance Committee 1980 - 1984, chair Personnel Committee 1984 - 1987. Won support for creation of Equal Opportunities Committee, and was involved in numerous reforms affecting women at local and national level.
Degree in Economic History from Strathclyde University as mature student. Senior lecturer in trade union studies 1976 - 1987, encouraging involvement of women in trade unions. Campaigner for equal pay. Honorary doctorate from Glasgow University in 2002 for her work for women's rights.
Barbara Kelly CBE DL LLD
Barbara Kelly holds a number of senior public appointments and her main interests lie in consumer affairs, women's issues and in rural and environmental matters. A major part of her life has been home based as a partner in a mixed farming enterprise.
She is not afraid of challenge and is a former Chairman of the Scottish Consumer Council, Equal Opportunities Commissioner for Scotland and most recently, Chairwoman of the UK Architects Registration Board. Presently a member of the BPplc Scottish Board and of the Royal Mail Board in Scotland, she has recently become a Trustee of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and of the Robertson Trust. She is Convenor of the Millennium Forest for Scotland Trust. She was the first woman Director of the Clydesdale Bank, a founder director of Scottish Enterprise and a main Board member of Scottish Natural Heritage.
Made CBE in 1993, and a Deputy Lieutenant of Dumfriesshire in 1998, she holds Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Strathclyde1995, Aberdeen 1997 and Glasgow 2002.
Jane McKay
Currently holds the women's seat on the General Council of the TGWU and a member of the TUC General Council and TUC Women's Committee. Chair of both the Scottish and UK National Women's Committees of the TGWU for many years. Member of the general Council of the Scottish Trades Union Congress for 18 years serving on all its Committees. Chaired General Purposes Committee and the Economic and Employment Committee. President of the STUC in 1992.
Longstanding and active member of the STUC Women's Committee serving as its Chair on several occasions. Worked closely with communities and unions through employment in Glasgow Trades Council. Member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention, active supporter of 50:50 campaign for equal representation in the Scottish Parliament and other campaigns to support women's rights.
Worked on the organisation and provision of support to Chilean refugees in the 1970s. Established network of unemployed and community resources centres in Glasgow area and worked to support unemployed women. Former board member of West of Scotland water and Independent Assessor for public appointments.
Susan Rice
Susan Rice, a Chartered Banker, became Chief Executive of Lloyds TSB Scotland in August 2000, the first woman to head a UK clearing bank. She worked previously at Bank of Scotland and NatWest Bancorp in New York. In her earlier career, she was a dean at both Yale and Colgate universities in America.
Susan is a non-executive director of Scottish and Southern Energy and chairs the Edinburgh International Book Festival. She also is a founding director of Charity Bank, chairs the Advisory Board of the Scottish Centre for Social Justice and is active in addressing issues of social and financial exclusion. She is a frequent speaker on the future of financial services, the Scottish economy, leadership, financial exclusion and corporate responsibility.
Her interest in the visual arts has led to several high profile arts sponsorships through the business, most notably the Rembrandt's Women exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery and Glasgow's Whistler Centenary exhibition.
Born and brought up in the United States, Susan has degrees from Wellesley, Aberdeen University in Scotland, and honorary doctorates from The Robert Gordon University and Edinburgh University. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Sally Witcher
Sally Witcher is a freelance consultant, researcher and trainer to the voluntary and public sectors, with a particular focus on diversity and equal opportunity. She was appointed in August 2002 as the first Chair of a new Department for Work and Pension's (UK Government) advisory committee on disability employment policy (the Disability Employment Advisory Committee). She also advises the Scottish Executive Equality Unit on disability issues, EYDP, etc. She has considerable experience working in the fields of poverty, social security benefits, community care and campaigning.
Sally is a former Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (a UK-wide campaigning charity) and, prior to that, Campaign Worker for Disability Alliance. More recently she has worked with a range of Scottish and UK-wide organisations, including the Disability Rights Commission. She is a founder of Direct Payments Scotland and occasional columnist for Community Care magazine and lead author of Scottish Executive funded research into Direct Payments. Sally has extensive experience of participating in research advisory committees including the ESRC research programme on children and the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion at the London School of Economics. She is currently working on a phd thesis developing a generic theory of exclusion and discrimination. Sally is a disabled person and lives in Edinburgh.
Lynne Main, member of the Wester Hailes Community Council, Scottish Social Inclusion Network and Community Planning Taskforce, was invited to be a member of the Group but was unable to participate due to unforeseen circumstances.
APPENDIX OF ACRONYMS
CBI Confederation of British Industry
DTI Department of Trade and Industry (UK)
DWP Department of Work and Pensions (UK)
EOC Equal Opportunities Commission
EU European Union
FE further education
FSB Federation of Small Businesses
HE higher education
HIE Highlands & Islands Enterprise
COSLA Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
MP Member of Parliament (the UK Parliament at Westminster)
MEP Member of European Parliament
MSP Member of Scottish Parliament
NDPB Non-Departmental Public Body
ONS Office of National Statistics
TUC Trades Union Congress
SCVO Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
SE Scottish Executive
SECRU Scottish Executive Central Research Unit
SEDD Scottish Executive Development Department
SEED Scottish Executive Education Department
SEETLLD Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport & Lifelong Learning Department
SEnt Scottish Enterprise
SEFCSD Scottish Executive Finance & Central Services Department
SEHD Scottish Executive Health Department
SEJD Scottish Executive Justice Department
SME small and medium sized enterprise
STUC Scottish Trades Union Congress
WEU Women and Equality Unit (part of DTI)
WISCF Women in Scotland Consultative Forum
The report can be viewed on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.ukhttp://www.scotland.gov.uk.
If you require this report in an alternative format please contact the Equality Unit at the address below:
Scottish Executive
Equality Unit
Area 2F South
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Tel: 0131 244 0095
Fax: 0131 244 1824
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