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CHAPTER 4 - GENDER EQUALITY OBJECTIVES
Introduction
4.1 The Scottish Government, following consultation with relevant stakeholders and through an examination of the available relevant evidence, will take forward the following 10 overall gender equality objectives for meeting the general duty. We have divided these objectives into policy objectives and corporate objectives.
4.2 It should be noted that although the objectives have been set out under a broad set of headings, many of these objectives are interlinked. For example, the issues of equal pay, occupational segregation, childcare and flexible working and poverty are all interconnected. Furthermore, individual directorates have set out in their own action plans (see chapter 10) steps they are taking and intend to take to progress gender equality. The plans indicate where actions contribute towards advancing these overarching 10 objectives.
4.3 Measuring progress against the objectives that we set ourselves will not always be easy. In chapter 8 we set out our current activity and our future plans for improving the evidence base for equality, but this is not straight-forward. We are working on the development of indicators for measuring progress and will continue to improve our data collection, data analysis and data presentation to enable the reporting. We also understand that some of our objectives set out here will span this action plan and our subsequent action plans, i.e. we do not believe that we can eliminate, for example, violence against women, the gender pay gap and poverty within the lifetime of this scheme.
Our Policy Objectives
Violence against women
4.4 What you have told us: Tackling violence against women is a key gender equality objective. The large investment in supporting frontline services to support women and children affected by domestic abuse, rape and sexual assault and other forms of violence against women, and to raise awareness of the issues, has been hugely welcomed. It is recognised that there was more that needed to be done on prevention and to work with young people in developing their understanding and awareness as well as to support those children and young people who experience domestic abuse. There is a wish to see the development of the broader violence against women agenda.
4.5 What we know: We know that women are overwhelmingly the victims of domestic abuse perpetrated by male partners and ex-partners (in 2006-7 there were 48,801 reported incidents, a 7% increase on the previous year. In 87% of these cases the recorded victim was female and the perpetrator was male). Similarly female victims of homicide are more likely to have been killed by a partner or ex-partner than male victims (For homicides recorded in the last ten years, 52% of the female victims aged between 16 and 69 were killed by their partner. For male victims aged 16 to 69, only 6% were killed by their partner). We know too that many women experience more that one form of violence during their lives and that there are links between these forms whether domestic abuse, rape and sexual assault or other forms of commercial sexual exploitation. We know that in order to tackle violence against women we need to develop a strategic approach to such violence in all its forms.
4.6 What we intend to do: We will continue to ensure support for women who experience gender-based violence and develop a strategic approach to tackling it, building on the National Strategy on Domestic Abuse which we are reviewing. We will continue to raise awareness of violence against women through campaigns and consider how to challenge and change attitudes to prevent its occurrence. We will ensure the needs of children and young people experiencing domestic abuse are addressed and will be publishing shortly the National Delivery Plan for Children and Young People containing the recommendations of the National Domestic Abuse Delivery Group. We will develop preventative work with men and ensure perpetrators are dealt with effectively.
4.7 How we will know if we're making progress: We will have addressed effectively perpetrators and addressed the needs of children and young people experiencing domestic abuse. We want to see a reduction in the numbers of women experiencing men's violence and a change in attitudes towards violence against women. We want to increase women's confidence in reporting violence and the quality of the support that those coming forward receive. Statistical measures can only show part of the picture, particular in the context of known under-reporting, and we will work with women's organisations and service providers to measure progress, both qualitatively and quantitatively. We will evaluate awareness-raising work as one way to measure shifts in attitudes.
The Gender Pay Gap
4.8 What you have told us: To properly implement the gender equality duty the Government must take action where it can to address the gender pay gap in Scotland. This action should take into account how to address the pay gap in the finance sector. Equal pay should remain a high priority. Within the Government there is recognition of the work done to undertake equal pay reviews and of the commitment to ensuring that pay and rewards system are fair. However, there is a call to do more in terms of better understanding of the flexible working needs of men and women in the Government.
4.9 What we know: In Scotland, according to the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2007, the gap is 15% based on average hourly earnings for full-time staff (and 34% for part-time female staff compared to full-time male staff).
4.10 We know too that there are gender equality issues in our own pay and rewards structures which have been set out through the process of conducting equal pay audits and which need to be addressed. We know that we need to collect better data on the caring responsibilities and working patterns of our staff if we are to effectively tackle equal pay issues in the longer term.
4.11 What we intend to do: Although the power to legislate about equal pay is reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government will continue to work in partnership with a range of organisations, to support the Close the Gap campaign and to encourage other employers to put their pay structures to the test. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the pay gap between women and men in Scotland and encourages activity to "close the gap", such as employers carrying out equal pay audits or reviews. One of the focal points for the campaign is the finance sector.
4.12 The Government is leading by example in relation to equal pay reviews. In 2007 we published our equal pay statement in line with the requirements of the gender equality specific duties and completed our fourth equal pay review in partnership with the trade unions. The review made a number of recommendations including:
- The Scottish Government should continue monitoring and reviewing its pay system to ensure it is free from discrimination.
- The next review should focus on gender and age. Disability and ethnicity should be included but only where there are sufficient numbers to allow a meaningful analysis to be completed.
4.13 We will ensure that we take forward these recommendations and a further audit of the pay system will be undertaken during 2008.
4.14 How we will know if we're making progress: The key measure for success in tackling the gender pay gap will be the continued narrowing of the gender pay gap. We would regard it as a success if there is an increase in the numbers of employers following the Government's lead and putting their pay and rewards systems to equal pay reviews.
Poverty
4.15 What you have told us: Our consultation highlighted poverty as key contributor and consequence of many of the persistent gender equality issues in Scotland - such as the pay gap; occupational segregation and childcare, caring and flexible working. Poverty continues to be a significant problem in Scotland and the causes and implications of poverty can be different for women and men. If we are to eradicate poverty in Scotland we need to understand the gendered nature of poverty and its ramifications on equality of opportunity for men, women and their children.
4.16 In addition, this Government's stated purpose is "to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth". We have therefore decided to include poverty as one of this Government's specific overarching gender equality objectives.
4.17 What we know: Poverty continues to be a blight and strain on individuals' lives, on the communities in which they live and on society in general. We know that employment rates are lower for lone parents and older men, while working part-time (more common for women than men) increases your chances of being affected by low pay and poverty. The majority of women who are over 75 live alone, and they face a higher risk of living in poverty. In particular women make up the majority of those dependent on State Pensions and Pension Credits, constituting about 64% of claimants of both benefits in 2005. We also know that significant numbers of women are concentrated in the lowest paying jobs and occupations.
4.18 We know that if children experience poverty of income and opportunity, that they are more likely to experience poverty and disadvantage in later life - as a young person and as an adult. We know that children from disadvantaged backgrounds can suffer a range of lasting problems, such as poor educational performance, greater risk of unemployment and poor health in later life. Many poor families are headed by lone parents, 93% 1 of whom are women.
4.19 In addition, poverty may also be linked to domestic abuse. Domestic abuse is more than twice as common amongst those with an income of under £10,000 per year (7%) than amongst the overall population (3%) 2. Whilst not a cause, poverty may exacerbate stress, reduce opportunities to change the environment in which people live and limit women's ability to leave.
4.20 We therefore know that the experience of poverty can vary by gender and that we need to take full account of gender issues when we are developing and implementing policies to tackle poverty.
4.21 What we intend to do: We recently published Taking Forward the Government Economic Strategy: A Discussion Paper on Tackling Poverty, Inequality and Deprivation in Scotland, which will help to inform the Government's development of a framework for delivering the aspect of the Government's Economic Strategy ( GES) related to tackling poverty, inequality and deprivation. This discussion included considering the gendered nature and affects of poverty. The consultation process will finish in summer 2008 and we anticipate publishing a framework for tackling poverty, inequality and deprivation in Scotland later in 2008. This framework will be key to taking forward our gender equality objective.
4.22 How will we know if we are making progress: We know that we will not eradicate poverty overnight. However, to monitor our progress we have included an indicator in our National Performance Framework "to decrease the proportion of individuals living in poverty". This indicator will be reported on annually through the Households below Average Income Statistics derived from the Family Resources Survey. We will disaggregate the statistics, as far as we are able, to show how the incidence of poverty breaks down within and across Scotland (for example, for key equality groups including gender, for urban and rural Scotland, and for the most deprived communities).
Occupational Segregation
4.23 What you have told us: Almost all those we consulted highlighted occupational segregation (where men or women are concentrated in particular occupations or jobs) as a key area for the Government to take action. Tackling occupational segregation is seen as an integral part in not only closing the gender pay gap for women but also challenging gender stereotypes and social attitudes about the role of women and men. Removing occupational segregation is seen as important in the fight against poverty and low pay. Within the Scottish Government there was some concern at the concentration of genders in particular grades.
4.24 What we know: We know that women represent a large majority of workers in personal services (85%), administrative and secretarial (79%), and sales and customer services occupations (70%). We know that, by contrast, men represent the large majority of workers in the occupational categories of managers and senior officials (67%), process, plant and machine operatives (86%), and skilled trades (92%) 3. We know that women predominate in key public sector workforces, for example, teaching (92% of primary school teachers and 60% of secondary teachers in 2007) 4, the NHS (78% in 2007) 5 and local government (68% in 2007) 6, but they nonetheless continue to be under-represented in more senior positions.
4.25 We know that women are more likely to work part-time than men and that because they take disproportionate responsibility for caring, their options, particularly in terms of travel times, can be limited.
4.26 In the Scottish Government, we know that there is a predominance of women in bands A and B but this shifts towards a predominance of men in band C and senior civil service grades.
4.27 What we intend to do: We have already set up a cross-directorate working group to explore the causes of occupational segregation and to identify where changes could be made to tackle these issues. We recognise that gendered roles and stereotyping shape the choices that girls and boys and women and men make, across the age groups, from nursery schools to lifelong learning. The group adopted a thematic and action-focussed approach to look at issues which impact on the career choices of women and men across the life-course and which contribute to the perpetuation of gender-segregated workforces. The group's remit is to:
- identify the key issues that impact on and contribute to gender stereotyping in education, work and training;
- raise awareness and understanding about the importance of considering gender issues and the wider mainstreaming equality agenda;
- further encourage joint working between the delivery agencies and policy makers;
- consider where effective interventions might be made across the "life-course" in order to address gender stereotypes in order to encourage men and women to enter into occupations where they are presently significantly under-represented;
- suggest concrete changes that can be made to existing or proposed interventions - where it is considered that tackling various aspects of occupational segregation in the short, medium and long term can be achieved - as appropriate.
4.28 We will continue to take a holistic and joined-up approach to this by working across Government directorates and other relevant organisations. We will continue to take forward the recommendations of the Women and Work Commission as they pertain to Scotland. We intend to publish the report of the cross-directorate working group later in 2008. When published the actions contained should be seen as a part of this scheme.
4.29 How we will know if we're making progress: Success, of course, will be the elimination of occupational segregation. However, we do not believe that we can successfully tackle occupational segregation within the lifetime of this scheme. Many of the reasons for occupational segregation are entrenched in the gendered structures of our society and will take many years to challenge effectively. In the short-term, however, we will know we're making progress if we have been able to establish an effective network and if we have been able to embed an understanding of gender mainstreaming across those areas key to occupational segregation and career choices; if we have been able to map out the range of factors (cultural, social, educational, etc) which impact on men and women and work, develop a strategy to co-ordinate and facilitate progress; if we have been able to plan for the ongoing collection of evidence that the group has been able to support learning, networking and practice-sharing amongst policy and (in due course) delivery bodies and if we have in place a plan of action to deliver change.
4.30 Over time we would expect to see more women and men working in non-traditional occupations and more girls and boys and women and men making choices about education and training that did not limit their aspirations and potential.
Childcare, Caring and Flexible Working
4.31 What you have told us: Good, affordable childcare is key to enabling women to return to work after they have had a baby and this is especially important for poorer families and lone parents (the majority of whom are women). Too many fathers are excluded from their children's lives because of an emphasis on communication with mothers in schools and nurseries. The lack of men in caring, teaching and personal care services and the general low value attached to these services need to be tackled. Positive attitudes towards both men and women being able to work flexibly to accommodate caring and childcare responsibilities are important to challenging stereotypes, changing the culture of an organisation and providing positively for parents.
4.32 What we know: we know that the provision of affordable accessible childcare is a key factor in helping people, particularly women from single parent families who make up 93 7% of single parent households with dependant children, to escape poverty through employment and we know that the lack of childcare is the single biggest barrier to improving employability, especially that of lone parents.
4.33 We know that approximately 97% 8 of the early years and childcare workforce are female, we know that this workforce is relatively low-skilled and low-paid; we also know that we need to do more to encourage men to enter into this profession. We also know that through registration with the Scottish Social Services Council, investment in workforce development and Investing in Children's Futures, the qualification levels of the workforce are now increasing.
4.34 We know that men sometimes find it difficult to access flexible working arrangements because of gendered assumptions about caring roles in families.
4.35 What we intend to do: we already provide significant support to ensure the availability of childcare across Scotland and we will continue to do so.
4.36 We know that we have more work to do on addressing the role of fathers in children's education and social care. We have supported some work in this regard but will consider what further action we can take.
4.37 We know that developing our childcare workforce requires long term action. We will implement the action set out in Investing in Children's Futures, in order to develop an increasingly professional workforce. We want the women and men who work in the childcare sector to be well-qualified, highly skilled and valued.
4.38 We will continue to take these issues forward as part of the deliberations of the Cross-directorate Group on Occupational Segregation.
4.39 We will raise awareness of the benefits of the Scottish Government's family friendly policies amongst staff and look to improving the monitoring of their uptake amongst men and women. We will also work to raise awareness of caring issues amongst our staff and explore ways in which we can support more effectively those with caring responsibilities.
4.40 How we will know if we're making progress: We will know that we are making progress if we successfully take forward the recommendations of the Investing in Children's Futures report. We will know if we're making progress if the numbers of women and men who are able to successfully access the labour market increases as a result of the support we provide. The delivery of work to address childcare and flexible working issues is interlinked to the work we are doing to address occupational segregation. We will know we are making progress if more men and women within the Scottish Government take advantage of flexible working arrangements and we are able to monitor those arrangements by gender. We will also know we are making progress if those staff with caring responsibilities report more positively on their experiences in the workplace in our Employee Survey.
Improve networks with men
(See also chapter 3)
4.41 What you have told us: There needs to be an improvement in our engagement with men to ensure that men's issues are taken fully into account, particularly with reference to health, education, and the needs of fathers.
4.42 What we know: we know that men as a group, in particular those with higher incomes, occupy relatively powerful positions in contrast to women, however we also know that there a number of policy areas where men and boys are at a disadvantage, these have been set out across our directorate action plans.
4.43 What we intend to do: we will improve our consultation networks with men and explore options for establishing an effective network.
4.44 How we will know if we're making progress: we will know we are making progress if we are able to improve our engagement with men and there is an increase in the understanding of gender equality within the relevant policy areas and improved outcomes for men as a result.
Transgender equality
4.45 What you have told us: Equality issues for transgender people have not been high priority and that there is a need to ensure that equality matters for transgender people across a range of issues should be progressed.
4.46 What we know: The evidence for transgender people tends to be based on medical experiences but we know that there are many other issues that need to be addressed to progress transgender equality. Research undertaken by the Scottish Transgender Alliance shows that transgender people often face discrimination and harassment in the workplace, as service users and in our communities.
4.47 For example 62% of respondents stated they had experienced transphobic harassment from strangers in public places who perceived them to be transgender. 53% of survey respondents who have been known to be transgender by some of their work colleagues stated that they have experienced transphobic discrimination and harassment. 8% of those surveyed stated they had been sacked at least once due to their transgender background or identity. The survey also showed that 55% of respondents have a HND/Degree or Postgraduate Degree but only 30% of respondents have a gross annual income of more than £20,000 and 48% a gross annual income of under £10,001.
4.48 We know from the results of the Social Attitudes Survey discrimination module highlighted that discriminatory attitudes were more widespread in relation to some groups than others and were particularly common in relation to someone who has had a sex change operation (a description designed to refer to a transgender person).
4.49 What we intend to do: We have already started to make progress. We provided funding to the Transgender Alliance for a development worker to ensure that transgender equality is integrated into national and local programmes to promote equality on a pilot basis. This work has been very successful and in May 2008 the Minister announced that this funding would be continued until March 2011 as part of a wider programme of work to promote transgender equality.
4.50 We intend to hold a lunchtime seminar (June 2008) to bring together analysts, researchers and policy officials with an interest in transgender issues, to hear more about the transgender research and to discuss recommendations from the LGBT hearts and minds agenda group relating to developing a more comprehensive evidence base on the experiences of transgender people.
4.51 More broadly, we are considering the recommendations of the hearts and minds agenda group's report 'Challenging Prejudice' which includes recommendations on changing attitudes towards transgender people as part of the wider lesbian, gay and bisexual community. The Scottish Government will issue a formal response later this year.
4.52 We will continue to work with the public sector to highlight the needs of transgender men and women in the provision of services. The new funding package to the LGBT sector includes a number of projects which will support public bodies to improve their services to transgender people, for example the good practice projects which will be run by Stonewall Scotland, and the LGBT domestic abuse project, run by LGBT Youth Scotland. The Transgender Alliance works closely with these other projects to ensure that the issues which are specific to transgender people are fully understood and incorporated.
4.53 Internally, we will also ensure that Government staff are fully aware of their responsibilities under the existing legislation. In this regard we will ensure that the appropriate guidance is in place and that awareness training courses are offered to staff. As well as ensuring that Government staff understand their responsibilities to each other with regards to transgender equality, we also need to ensure that this principle extends beyond the workplace and to stakeholders and services users. In addition, as an employer, we will benchmark our performance on transgender issues against that of other Government Departments and take action to address any areas where we could perform better. We will also ensure that our Human Resources staff are fully aware of their responsibilities in relation to transgender issues.
4.54 How we will know if we're making progress: We want transgender people to feel supported and valued as employees, stakeholders and service users in the Government; we want any staff member who is undergoing transition to be retained as valued members of staff. We want to ensure that any barriers to the recruitment and retention of transgender staff have been identified and removed and that staff are fully aware of our Gender Identity guidance.
4.55 We will continue to work with our LGBT network to obtain some feedback as to whether we are succeeding or failing in this regard, we do appreciate, however, that this will not be the only source of information and the key issue will be to ensure that the appropriate structures and procedures are in place to ensure transgender staff feel supported and valued.
Corporate Objectives
Mainstreaming gender equality
(See also chapters 5, 6, 8 and 9)
4.56 What you have told us: Understanding of gender equality and other equality issues is key to delivering effective and well-thought out policies and practices, services and programmes.
4.57 What we know: The gender duty is underpinned by the principle that men and women often have different needs and experiences and so we understand that to effectively deliver on the gender duty, we will need to become much better at mainstreaming equality.
4.58 What we intend to do: Each directorate action plan contained in this scheme is, in essence, focussed on the task of mainstreaming gender equality across policy and practice. Our equality impact assessment tool has been rolled out across the Government and agencies and briefing sessions on how to use the tool were provided to each of the then Departments (see chapter 5).
4.59 How we will know if we're making progress: Completed equality impact assessments will be published on the Scottish Government's website. We will know that we're making progress when all new and reviewed Government policies, etc, have been subjected to rigorous and meaningful equality impact assessments that are transparent and the resulting policies have paid due regard to the results of those impact assessments. Ultimately we expect to see improvements in the experiences and lives of men and women in Scotland.
Training of Staff
(See also chapter 6)
4.60 What you have told us: Staff development and training needs to be encouraged amongst on all grades. A focus on higher grade staff militates against skills development of lower band staff and could contribute to gender inequity given the over-representation of women in lower grades
4.61 There needs to be more training on equal opportunities for staff across the Government so that people have a better understanding of equality issues and the legal obligations. There is also a need to understand the issues of gender reassignment and transgender issues.
4.62 There is a particular need to provide equality training to ensure that all three public sector equality duties are successfully implemented and there should be a consistent approach across the organisation.
4.63 Training is vital across the public sector if the gender duty is to result in real and meaningful outcomes. The public sector needs to develop the capacity to engage effectively with gender equality issues and fully understand how to properly take those issues forward.
4.64 What we know: We know that training is only part of the support that staff require to be able to effectively deliver on their responsibilities. We know that training will help many people to begin to understand the complex issues but that they will need ongoing support to enable them to properly integrate this into their everyday practice.
4.65 What we intend to do: In preparation for the gender equality duty and the disability equality duty, we undertook a programme of public sector and equality impact assessment briefing sessions to every department in the then Scottish Executive. We want to ensure that staff are fully aware of their responsibilities and we understand that staff need to be supported if they are to effectively take forward the necessary work to deliver on the public sector equality duties.
4.66 We will build on these sessions by undertaking a further programme of equality and diversity training as part of our corporate learning services, which will include transgender issues. We will also offer Government staff further specialised training on transgender equality issues.
4.67 How we will know if we're making progress: We will know if we're making progress when all Government staff have been fully trained and are aware and understand the issues of gender equality for their policy area.
Data Gathering
(See chapter 8)
4.68 What you have told us: The collection, analysis and presentation of good quality data is crucial to the delivery of the gender equality duty. The gendered aspects of policies and practices are often hidden if data does not set out the differing experiences of women and men.
4.69 What we know: we are already committed to the principles of evidence-based policy making and have set this out in chapter 8.
4.70 What we intend to do: we have set out our approach to data gathering at chapter 8.
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