Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning

Overview

This taskforce aims to identify measures to address the lack of gender equality which remains evident in education and learning settings.

It will advise on potential changes in practice and actions to support a gender competent experience of education and learning for all girls and women. 

The group will be an action and outcomes focussed one, examining the key drivers of gender inequality and how barriers which still exist can be removed. 

Remit:

The taskforce will:

• actively seek and consider the views of girls and young women in producing a strategy which ensures their views inform the outcome
• consider where good practice in embedding gender equality in Scottish education and learning already exists, particularly Education Scotland’s Improving Gender Balance and Equalities Programme, the Developing the Young Workforce Strategy and the Gender Pay Gap Action Plan 
• identify good practice - in the UK and internationally - and consider whether it provides potential measures and solutions which have relevance for the Scottish context
• identify specific barriers in the planning and delivery of gender equality education, at all stages of practitioners’ Career Long Professional Learning (CLPL)
• identify gaps, both strategically and in educational settings when delivering gender equality in education and learning, and establish sub groups to take forward discrete pieces of work to develop appropriate measures or solutions  
• consider the best way that a national strategy, as set out by the First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls recommendation, can coordinate existing good practice as well as new and innovative ways of ensuring that gender equality is embedded at all stages of education and learning 
• take an intersectional approach, ensuring that diversity and inclusivity informs its work

Background

The taskforce was established in February 2020 to fulfil one of the recommendations made by the First Minister’s NACWG to: 'establish a commission on gender equality in education and learning, covering early years, primary and secondary education and learning tasked with providing bold and far-reaching recommendations on how gender equality can be embedded in all aspects of learning (from teacher training, to school behaviours/cultures, to the curriculum and CLD practice).'

Members

• Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney (joint-chair)
• Razannah Hussain, #iwill Ambassador and Communic18 member during Scotland’s Year of Young People (joint chair)
• Minister for Older People and Equalities, Christina McKelvie
• Louise Macdonald, Chair, NACWG (correspondence member)
• Graeme Logan, Director of Learning, Scottish Government
• Joe Griffin, Director of Early Learning and Childcare, Scottish Government
• Eileen Flanagan, Gender Equality Team Leader, Equality Unit, Scottish Government
• Gayle Gorman, Chief Executive and Chief Inspector of Education, Education Scotland
• Hannah Axon, Equality, Representation and Diversity Officer, COSLA
• Peter McNaughton, Chief Officer, Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)
• Andrea Bradley, Assistant Secretary, Educational Institute for Scotland (EIS)
• Professor Ian Rivers, Chair, Scottish Council of Deans of Education
• Dr Marion Alison, Director, CLD Standards Council
• Lauren Kelly, MSYP, Education and Lifelong Learning Committee, SYP
• Amy Woodhouse, Head of Policy, Participation and Projects, Children in Scotland
• Anna Ritchie Allan, Executive Director, Close the Gap
• Rachel Adamson, Co-Director, Zero Tolerance
• Kathryn Dawson, Prevention Co-ordinator, Rape Crisis Scotland
• Khaleda Noon, Chief Executive, Intercultural Youth Scotland
• Dr Mhairi Crawford, Chief Executive, LGBT Youth Scotland
• Dr Maureen Sier, Director, Interfaith Scotland
• Jan Savage, Director External Affairs and Strategic Development, Enable Scotland
• Katie Horsburgh, Girlguiding Scotland

Publications

Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning: terms of reference

Gender equality in education: Scottish Youth Parliament research

Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning: response to reports

Gender equality in education and learning: Children's Parliament report

Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning: Theory of Change report