Advancing equality for all women and girls
The SNP will continue fighting for gender equality at every turn – working to advance equal pay, improve women’s health, and end the barriers that still block the aspirations of too many women in Scotland.
Nicola Sturgeon is Scotland’s first female First Minister and the Scottish Cabinet is one of only a handful in the world that is gender-balanced.
Here’s just some of the ways the SNP Scottish Government is delivering for women.
We’re tackling health inequalities and improving women’s health
Scotland is the first country in the UK to have published a Women’s Health Plan, which outlines ambitious improvement and change in areas including menopause, heart health, menstrual health including endometriosis, and sexual health.
The plan sets out 66 actions to ensure all women enjoy the best possible healthcare throughout their lives, and has been driven by real life experiences of women.
On #InternationalWomensDay it is only right that we ask ourselves what more we can do to dismantle structural inequality women face every day
Our Women's Health plan sets out our ambitions to eradicate inequality women face in terms of health outcomes.https://t.co/jIRw1Tf6lz
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) March 8, 2022
We’re helping to make workplaces more inclusive
We’re determined to ensure everyone – irrespective of gender, age, race, or disability – can fulfil their potential and improve Scotland’s economic performance as a result.
Our Workplace Equality Fund, backed up by £800,000 funding, supporting projects that aim to improve workplace practices and diversity in the workplace, which is good for individuals and also good for business.
We have launched a new Women Returners Programme, to support women who have had a career break back into work
And an updated Workplace Equality Fund to encourage employers to advance their diversity and inclusion practices pic.twitter.com/sLIrscE3Vm
— Scot Gov Fairer (@ScotGovFairer) March 4, 2021
We’ve delivered pay justice for the women of Glasgow
After a decade of Labour obstruction and inaction, it took an SNP-led Glasgow City Council administration to reach an agreement which delivered the pay justice that women have long fought for.
While Labour spent more than £2 million of public money fighting in court against equal pay claims by female council workers, we’re delivering pay equality to ensure that women’s work is always valued. There’s a lot more work to be done – and we’re not stopping at that.
🥀 After @ScottishLabour spent over £2 million over 10 years blocking equal pay for women, we have delivered pay equality in @GlasgowCC. https://t.co/q5mcGmDc5v
— The SNP (@theSNP) January 18, 2019
We’ve introduced world leading legislation to make psychological domestic abuse and controlling behaviour a crime
Scotland is now one of only a handful of countries across the world to introduce dedicated legislation that covers not just physical abuse, but also other forms of psychological abuse – including coercive and controlling behaviour which cannot easily be prosecuted under the previous criminal law.
🎉 The Domestic Abuse Bill has been unanimously passed by the @scotparl. Read more: https://t.co/J1ziOPm6ex pic.twitter.com/Qri965ROnc
— The SNP (@theSNP) February 1, 2018
We continue to stand up to the UK government’s shambolic treatment of WASPI women
We’re stood up for the women in Scotland, and across the UK, who have been short-changed by the UK Tory government due to the accelerated timetable for increases in the women’s State Pension Age.
Your SNP representatives continue leading the way in supporting the WASPI campaign in their efforts to secure fairness for the women affected – and put this historic wrong right.
Proud to stand in solidarity with #WASPI women in Govan today – with Mary Barbour looking on! These women are being robbed of their pensions and we should all demand justice for them. pic.twitter.com/nXqO4Dg5fg
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) February 23, 2019
We’re leading the fight against the Tory two child cap and the abhorrent Rape Clause
The SNP have been at the forefront of the campaign against the Rape Clause, which requires women to prove they’ve been raped in order to receive financial support for more than two children.
It is truly disgraceful and utterly unacceptable, and the SNP will continue leading the way in calling out the Tory government and fighting for the abolition of the two-child cap and the rape clause.
“DWP two-child benefit cap hits 1.1million children in huge Universal Credit cut.”
It’s beyond cruel that so many families are losing out on much needed support due to the Tory two child limit. It’s got to go.
#2ChildLimit #RapeClause @danbloom1
https://t.co/ablQSFpBjC— Alison Thewliss 🧡 (@alisonthewliss) July 15, 2021