Women and girls ‘sidelined’ by Government policy-making, report warns

Women and girls remain “sidelined” by Scottish Government policy-making, a report has highlighted.

The National Advisory Council on Women and Girls (NACWG) advises the First Minister on how to tackle gender inequalities through progressive policies.

In its latest report, the Scottish Government’s commitment to the advisory group’s work was welcomed, however it noted slow progress in implementing recommendations and the challenges faced in taking forward a new accountability process.

The report said women and girls’ equality remains “sidelined or an afterthought in many areas of policy-making within the Scottish Government”.

With Humza Yousaf set to be replaced as First Minister, his successor has been urged to prioritise gender equality.

Recommendations set for the new leader include additional training to create a culture which creates open and honest conversations, and a national gender equality strategy to ensure policies embed the needs of women and girls.

Plans to tackle the cost-of-living crisis must focus on marginalised women and girls in Scotland, it added.

The Scottish Government, however, was noted for “pockets of good practice”, such as the inclusion of lived experience in policy-making.

Anna Ritchie Allan, co-chairwoman of advisory group, said: “We’ve centred accountability in our work and this has exposed the Scottish Government’s current ways of working leaves women and girls sidelined.

“From poverty and the cost-of-living crisis to the economy, women and girls’ lives are largely invisible, which sustains the inequalities they face.

“The NACWG has called on the Scottish Government to do things differently because their current approach to tackling gender inequality isn’t working.

“This means prioritising the needs of women and girls most marginalised within a national strategy, and crucially this must come with adequate resourcing and capability within government.”

Talet Yaqoob, co-chairwoman, said the Scottish Government is “severely lacking” in pushing forward with the recommendations.

She said: “We need faster movement that delivers tangible, positive change for marginalised women and girls in Scotland, and this must be a priority for whomever has the privilege of being first minister.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is fully committed to gender equality, and while we recognise progress has been made in this area, there is much more to do. We welcome the publication of the report and will give it full consideration before responding formally.

“Tackling poverty, which has been made worse by the cost-of-living crisis, is central to the Scottish Government’s Equality Mission. We understand that child poverty in particular is a gendered problem, with women-headed households and women within households at particular risk.

“Income provided through social security payments is a key tool in tackling poverty in Scotland and strengthening support for women and families. That’s why we are committing £6.3 billion in social security benefits and payments, just over £1 billion more than in 2023-24. And in recognition of the ongoing pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, all Scottish benefits were increased by 6.7% in April 2024.”