Equality charity will celebrate 25 years at a parliamentary reception
A women’s rights charity is marking its 25th anniversary with the message that gender equality is a battle still to be won.
Engender, the Scotland’s feminist policy and advocacy organisation, is celebrating its 25th anniversary at a reception in the Scottish Parliament tonight (27 June).
While celebrating its progress the charity says there is a long way to go before the country achieves full gender equality.
First minister Nicola Sturgeon will be speaking at the event, reaffirming her commitment to feminist leadership.
She said: “For 25 years, Engender has served as a hugely important voice for feminism and for gender equality in Scotland. Its work has been instrumental in helping to bring about change – in policy, in legislation and in attitudes – that have helped women across the country and contributed to making Scotland a better, more equal nation.
“This reception is a great way of celebrating these achievements, but it is also an opportunity to reflect on what more we need to do – together – to create a truly equal society.”
Engender’s executive director, Emma Ritch, said the progress that has been made is testament to the determination of feminist campaigners who have been fighting for change in countless different ways.
She added: “We pay tribute to these women on whose shoulders we stand, and prepare for the work that lies ahead of us to make equality a reality for women in Scotland.”
Engender was founded in 1993 by a group of women in Edinburgh, some of whom will be in attendance at tonight’s event.
It has grown to become a national policy organisation, with a membership made up of women and organisations from across Scotland.
It also has an international outlook, with Emma Ritch sitting on the board of the European Women’s Lobby, and the organisation recently submitting the Scotland response to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
The party at the Scottish Parliament will see archival material from Engender being displayed, and is sponsored by Christina McKelvie.
