First Minister's National Advisory Council on Women and Girls First Phase Two Report: Scottish Government Response

Introduction

The NACWG was established in 2017 to act as a catalyst for change, challenging the Scottish Government to be bold and ambitious in our policies to tackle gender inequality in Scotland.

The NACWG has supported real change to the lives of women and girls in the form of the recommendations made to us during Phase One (2017-2021). Recommendations taken forward to improve gender equality include bringing forward and passing the Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Act 2021, which allows victims to access healthcare and request a forensic examination without first having to make a report to the police; establishing a Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning to implement policies to ensure that gender equality is further embedded in all aspects of education and learning; and supporting the development of a Gender Beacon Collaborative to take a holistic and systemic approach to gender equality and work.

It is also thanks to the NACWG that the Scottish Government has begun transforming from within. We are improving our leadership structures to better support the delivery of gender equality, including establishing a Directorate for Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights, to advocate for and drive our gender equality policies across government.

We therefore welcome the first report from Phase Two (2022 – 2026), and the insights it contains from the NACWG’s scrutiny of our progress in implementing some of their recommendations as well as our response to the cost of living crisis through an intersectional gendered lens.

We are grateful to the NACWG for acknowledging the challenges that the Scottish Government has faced, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, and in recognising our need to divert focus and resources to respond to these crises. However, we accept the need to redouble our efforts to implement the recommendations made by the NACWG and advance equality for women and girls in Scotland.

In considering the report, and the 21 new Calls to Action, it is clear that the NACWG continues to seek systemic change, pushing the Scottish Government and other organisations to be more ambitious in our efforts to make life more equal for women and girls. We hear the NACWG when they call for us to make progress faster, and we will.

As mentioned, subject to this government returning after the upcoming Scottish Parliament election, we are committed to publishing an equality strategy for women and girls. Work to develop the strategy is at an advanced stage, and we envisage that this strategy, and its associated delivery plan, will bring together our existing commitments and work to advance gender equality while also seeking to address any policy gaps in this area.

Through the introduction of a strategy; reform of our internal delivery structures; and collaboration with external equality stakeholders and those with lived experience; we will make more progress in delivering on the recommendations made to us and furthering gender equality in Scotland.