Equally Safe Joint Strategic Board

Overview

The Equally Safe Joint Strategic Board (ESJSB), is a strategic part of the governance structure of Equally Safe. The Board aims to drive change through its oversight and study of the implementation of the aims and priorities of the Equally Safe strategy.

The ESJSB is jointly chaired by the Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing and the Minister for Equalities, who also Chairs the Equally Safe Ministerial Group (ESMG). This dual role helps maintain consistency and overlap across strategic governance arrangements. 

Meeting quarterly, the ESJSB brings together representatives from national and local government, alongside key partners from the public and third sectors. Members are invited for their expertise, networks, and to help ensure a collaborative approach to delivery. The ESJSB also supports collective leadership, accountability and coordination across the wider VAWG sector.

Before March 2019 this group was called ‘Violence Against Women Joint Strategic Board’.

Members

Joint chairs

• Kaukab Stewart MSP, Minister for Equalities
• Councillor Maureen Chalmers, spokesperson for community wellbeing, COSLA

Members

• Amanda Coulthard, Local Authority Leadership, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers
• Andrea Beavon, Local Authority Leadership, Violence Against Women Partnership Network
• Anna Mitchell, Systems Change, Safe and Together
• Catriona Kirkpatrick, Third Sector Specialist, Engender
• Trudi Marshall, Health, NHS
• Emma Forbes, Justice, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service
• Karen Allan, Housing and Homelessness, Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers
• Karyn McClusky, Justice, Community Justice Scotland
• Kelly McIntosh, Education, Association of Directors of Education Scotland
• Laura Tomson, Third Sector Specialist, Zero Tolerance
• Rachel Adamson, Third Sector Specialist, Zero Tolerance
• Linda Thompson, Third Sector Specialist, Women’s Support Project
• Lucy Denvir, Public Health, NHS Fife
• Mariam Ahmed, Third Sector Specialist, AMINA
• Marsha Scott, Third Sector Specialist, Scottish Women’s Aid
• Olivia Brown MSYP, Scottish Youth Parliament
• Sandy Brindley, Third Sector specialist, Rape Crisis Scotland
• Sarah Taylor, Justice, Police Scotland
• Scott Hunter, Social Care, North Ayrshire Council

Publications

Equally Safe Joint Strategic Board: terms of reference