Engender has outlined its 10-point plan to tackle gender inequality
A Scottish feminist charity has released an election manifesto calling for bold action on women’s rights.
Engender has unveiled a comprehensive 10-point plan to tackle gender inequality and support Scotland's most marginalised women ahead of the 2026 Scottish election.
The ambitious programme for action covers the major issues that many women are facing in Scotland including poverty, discrimination within the existing social security system, medical misogyny and a legal framework on reproductive rights that is increasingly outdated.
Engender has worked for over 30 years towards securing women's social, political, and economic equality in Scotland, with an ambition for Scotland to be a global leader on gender equality.
The manifesto, entitled "Investing in Women, Transforming Communities," presents ten key policy areas designed to transform the lives of Scotland's most marginalised women, including unpaid carers, LGBT+ women, survivors of male violence, disabled women, and women with no recourse to public funds.
Key asks for political party manifestos include reform of the social security system, including mitigation of the two-child limit and increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £55 per week.
Engender also wants to see modernisation of abortion law by removing it from the criminal justice system and establishing a health and human rights-based framework.
Additionally, investment in a new Women's Health Plan focusing on improving outcomes for marginalised women and development of an action plan to tackle women's homelessness and housing insecurity are also included.
The manifesto also covers a designation of childcare and social care as crucial growth sectors in Scotland's economic strategy and the creation of a 'Women's Equality Fund' to provide targeted crisis financial support for marginalised groups of women.
Catherine Murphy, executive director of Engender, said: " Too often, government policy and decision making simply doesn't understand or consider women’s specific needs, particularly marginalised women. That desperately needs to change. The next Scottish Government must be bolder and braver in defending equality for all and we are keen to work with new and returning parliamentarians to achieve this.”
The manifesto comes at a critical time, with research showing that by 2027, the most economically marginalised women in the UK are projected to have endured a 21% reduction in living standards since 2010, with single mothers, Black and Asian women, and disabled women most severely impacted.
Highlighting the urgency of action, the manifesto outlines how women are almost twice as impacted as men by decreased life expectancy resulting from austerity measures.
The deep poverty rate for unpaid carers is 60% higher than for those who do not provide unpaid care, with the vast majority of unpaid care carried out by women.
Women in the most deprived areas of Scotland experience good health for 25 years less than women in the most affluent areas.
Lucy Hughes, policy and parliamentary manager of Engender, said: “When we speak to women and girls, they tell us that they need change to happen faster and on a more ambitious scale. We need our next parliament to step up and take urgent action to tackle the deep-rooted inequalities women continue to face.”
Engender's manifesto emphasises how marginalised women face multiple, overlapping forms of discrimination and need to be priortised in policy making.
The manifesto also calls for continued investment in the National Advisory Council on Women and Girls, reform of the Public Sector Equality Duty, and the creation of a new fund to support women's political participation.
Catherine Murphy added: "Gender inequality is not inevitable. The recommendations in our manifesto are realistic steps Scotland can take to improve women's lives. Policy that meets the needs of the most marginalised in our communities, ultimately works to benefit everyone.”
