On Friday 8 March Causey Development Trust welcomed over 200 visitors to The Causey for ‘Our Streets’, an event that transformed the area’s iconic architecture with colourful projected imagery inspired by active travel.
To create the stunning projections, artwork made by the community was animated by award-winning artists Robert Motyka and the Beetroots Collective team and was accompanied by a soundscape designed by Marta Adamowicz.
The individual lino–print artworks created at community workshops, were displayed in an exhibition held in the Southside Community Centre in advance of the event.
Robert Motyka, part of the Beetroots Collective responsible for creating the projections, said: “It was just fantastic to see so many people turn up, despite the cold and wind, to enjoy the Our Streets event.
“Not only that, but to have both Critical Mass and the Infra Sisters finish up their rides at our event – it was an honour, and goes to show that what The Causey is trying to do resonates with people across our local community and across the city.”
On the night the Infra Sisters, a group of women campaigning for night-time cycling infrastructure that’s safe and comfortable for women and girls, cycled into the Causey around 20:45 to huge dramatic effect, before enjoying the final viewing of the evening.
Committed to transforming this soulless traffic island and traffic dominated street in The Southside, into a place that prioritises pedestrians, active travel and the coming together of community, this is just one of a series of upcoming events to be hosted by Causey Development Trust in 2024.
Causey Development Trust hopes that capital works at The Causey will begin in 2025. For more information on the plans, created by local Landscape Architects Ironside Farrar, and how the Causey Development Trust reached this point, reached this point, visit www.thecausey.org
PLAQUE UNVEILED AT ROYSTON WARDIEBURN COMMUNITY CENTRE
ROYSTON Wardieburn Community Centre’s management committee organised the unveiling of a plaque to mark North Edinburgh’s proud record of community activism on the eve of International Women’s Day.
RWCC Chair Billy Fitzpatrick, Willie Black and Cathie Ahmed were among the local people who spoke movingly and contributed poems on a special day.
The new plaque is situated alongside the cherry blossom tree planted to commemorate local activist Roberta Blaikie, and it was fitting that members of Roberta’s family attended to perform the unveiling just as the tree begins to bud once again.
Celebrating some of Diageo’s most pioneering women, Johnnie Walker Princes Street is hosting an exclusive Spirited Women Tasting in its Explorers’ Bothy Bar on 8th-10th of March.
Telling the stories of the influential women who have helped shape the face of Scotch whisky, the tasting features a welcome highball using an exclusive Johnnie Walker Princes Street blend created by Master Blender Emma Walker, and a Johnnie Walker Princes Street Cellar Blend prepared by Master Blender, Aimee Morrison.
Featured in the tasting session will be the Cardhu 12, 200th anniversary release. Created to celebrate two of the original female whisky trailblazers, Helen and Elizabeth Cumming, this malt is strikingly smooth and characterised by beautiful berry and blackcurrant notes.
Also making an appearance will be the Singleton of Glen Ord 2022 Special Release for a sweet and spicy fix, and the Dalwhinnie 17, 125th anniversary release which offers a famously spicy and fruity experience with strong vanilla notes.
As well as the tour, visitors can also enjoy an exclusive 10% discount across the retail store on the day of their tour when they present their ticket.
This offers reduced prices for merchandise and products, including the Bottle Your Own experience, where customers can engrave products with personalised messaging.
The 10% discount is also extended to the 1820 Rooftop Bar, where guests can savour the panoramic views of the Edinburgh skyline with delectable food and drink.
Commitment to enhance gender equality and women’s rights internationally
Women and girls in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia will be given the opportunity to design and deliver a new fund to advance gender equality and the rights of women and girls in their own countries.
The new Women and Girls Fund is supported by £3 million from the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund and will be delivered over four years.
The lead delivery partner for the Fund is the international research consultancy Ecorys, working in collaboration with FAWE (Forum for African Women Educationalists) in three of the Scottish Government’s International Development partner countries. The fund will take a participatory approach, being co-developed by women and girls, and women and girl-led organisations in the three countries.
International Development Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Gender inequality remains one of the greatest human rights challenges globally, and we must work together to address this.
“Reflecting our commitment to equalise power, the Women and Girls Fund will provide direct support to local women and girl-led organisations in our Sub-Saharan African partner countries.
“Direct funding is central to driving transformational change; this fund will empower women and girls, locally, to define and meet their own priorities.
“As we mark International Women’s Day, it is fitting that we launch this incredibly valuable programme, which puts feminist principles into action and will help us to advocate for a world without gender inequality.”
Ecorys Team Leader Mpala Nkonkomalimba said: “The funding opportunity cannot be coming at a more opportune time, as women and girls are still struggling to have voice in decision making processes and with the global economic downturn, they continue to be the face of poverty.
“Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) capacities to respond to the many emerging global and national issues affecting women and girls needs to be built and what is exciting is that the fund is planned to be participatory with CSOs themselves co-creating the funding mechanism.”
Bringing together women with the condition, clinicians, researchers and support services, it will aim to discuss Polycystic Ovary Syndrome from the perspective of those diagnosed with it, and from the medical community.
The event will also highlight support that is currently available to those diagnosed with PCOS and consider new emerging research around it.
Mick Rae, Professor of Reproductive Biology at Edinburgh Napier, and event co-organiser said: “The aim of this event is to ensure PCOS is better understood, and more effectively supported.
“By teaming up with PCOS Relief, we hope to drive awareness, understanding and support for all dealing with the condition.”
Chand Kaur, Founder and Chief Executive of PCOS Relief, will be on the expert panel. She said: “We set up PCOS Relief to provide support to women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, while advancing education, equality, and dedicated support services.
“This is the first event of its kind that we have ever put on, so have high hopes that it will help us achieve those aims.”
Professor Colin Duncan, Consultant in Reproductive Medicine in Edinburgh and expert panel member, who will address clinical and diagnostic aspects of the condition, said: “Polycystic ovary syndrome is a very common condition that isn’t talked about enough.
“There are a lot of myths about PCOS and educational events such as this can highlight what we know already about this condition, and what we need to focus on in the future”.
Dr Kasia Siemienowicz, Lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University, will also appear on the expert panel to discuss new PCOS findings emerging from Edinburgh-based research. She said: “In addition to the more widely known impacts upon fertility, those with PCOS are at increased risk of developing metabolic dysfunctions and obesity.
“These issues can pose significant health, well-being, and economic burdens. Therefore it is critical to better understand PCOS, and ultimately, to advance future treatments.”
Campus building photography 2020 by Student Ambassador Adriana-Iloana Cosma. Craiglockhart iecture theatre interior.
Professor Peter Barlow, Director of Edinburgh Napier University’s Centre for Biomedicine and Global Health said: “Public-facing events like this, where individuals can share their experience of PCOS with researchers, clinicians, and the wider public, can encourage more holistic approaches to PCOS care and research.
“As a multi-disciplinary group of scientists focused upon understanding origins and causes of disease, we are absolutely delighted to work with the charity PCOS Relief to support this effort.”
Professor Anna Glasier OBE, Women’s Health Champion for Scotland said: “PCOS affects women throughout the life course with symptoms often starting in the teenage years. PCOS does not go away.
“Although the menstrual symptoms disappear with the menopause, postmenopausal women who have PCOS are at increased risk of metabolic syndrome and heart disease.
“The Women’s Health platform on NHS Inform now provides a lot of information on PCOS including a short, helpful video explaining what it is and what treatments may be useful.
“This platform, together with meetings like this one will help women and healthcare providers have a greater understanding of PCOS.”
Event details:
Date: Thursday 7th March 2024
Time: 6pm – 8:30pm
Venue: Lindsay Stewart Lecture Theatre, Edinburgh Napier University Craiglockhart Campus, 219 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH14 1DJ
New TUC analysis finds more than 1.46 million women are kept out of the labour market because of their caring responsibilities
Women in their 30s are hardest hit – one in 10 women in this age group drop out of the jobs market because of pressures of looking after their family
Union body calls for funded childcare and flexible working rights for all to keep women in work and to address the gender pay gap
Women are around seven times more likely than men to be out of the labour market due to caring commitments, according to a new analysis published by the TUC today (Wednesday).
The analysis of official statistics – published as the annual TUC women’s conference starts in London today – finds that more than 1.46 million women are unable to work alongside their family commitments, compared to around 230,000 men.
Women in their 30s hardest hit
The research shows that women in their 30s are the hardest hit compared to men of the same age.
One in 10 women in their 30s – more than 450,000 women – is out of the labour market because of caring responsibilities – compared to just one in 100 men in their 30s.
So, women in their 30s are 10 times more likely than men to be unable to work due to family commitments at home.
But at every age – from the very start right through to the end of their careers – women are more likely than men to have to drop out of paid work because of caring commitments.
The TUC says that this illustrates that high-quality childcare that is free at the point of use should be available for all parents from the end of maternity leave to the end of primary school. This would help women stay in their jobs and continue with their careers once they have children.
The union body also found that women shoulder most of the care for older and disabled relatives too. But the TUC warned that the staffing crisis in social care was making it harder for women to stay in work alongside their caring responsibilities.
Women and low-paid work
The new TUC analysis also finds that women are much more likely than men to be working in low-paid jobs – and are far less likely to be in high-paid work.
Women make up two-thirds (65%) of the 10 lowest-paid occupations in the UK, like jobs in cleaning, catering and care.
But less than two in five (39%) women are working in the 10 highest-paid occupations, in industries like finance, law and IT.
Gender pay gap
The gender pay gap for all employees currently stands at 14.9%, and it widens with age.
Analysis published last month by the TUC found that this pay gap means that the average woman in paid employment effectively works for free for nearly two months (54 days) of the year, compared to the average man in paid employment.
The union body says that at current rates of progress, it will take more than 20 years to close the gender pay gap.
Flexible work
Millions of people across the UK work flexibly. The TUC says that flexible work helps parents and carers balance their work and caring commitments and stay in their jobs.
But a survey by the union body found that half of working mums don’t get the flexibility they request at work.
The TUC says the law needs to be changed to require all jobs to be advertised with the possible flexible working options stated – and to give all workers the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job.
Normalising and improving flexible working options would also encourage more men to take up these options and share caring responsibilities, says the TUC.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Women shouldn’t have to give up or cut down paid work because they can’t find or afford the right care for their children or older or disabled relatives.
“Too many women take a financial hit from caring for the rest of their lives – and it is a key driver of the gender pay gap. At the current rate of progress, it will be 20 years before women get pay parity with men.
“We desperately need funded high-quality childcare for all families, free at the point of use, so women can stay in work once they have kids.
“Ministers must change the law so that every single job is advertised with the possible flexible options stated, and all workers must have the legal right to work flexibly from their first day in a job.
“And ministers must fix the staffing crisis in social care so every family can find and afford the social care they need.”
Government action needed
The TUC is calling on ministers to act now to keep women in work, make sure they are paid fairly, and to properly address the gender pay gap. The union body wants the government to:
Introduce funded, high-quality childcare, available to all, free at the point of use. This would begin when paid maternity leave ends and would enable women to stay in work when they have children.
Create greater flexibility in all jobs. There should be a duty on employers to list the possible flexible working options for each job when it is advertised. And all workers should have a day one right to work flexibly – not just the right to ask – unless the employer can properly justify why this is not possible. Workers should have the right to appeal any rejections. And there shouldn’t be a limit on how many times a worker can ask for flexible working arrangements in a single year.
Strengthen gender pay gap reporting: From 1 April 2017, the government ruled that large companies must publish information about the difference between average male and female earnings. The TUC believes the government must go further and wants employers to be made to carry out equal pay audits, and to produce action plans to close the pay gap in their workplace. The TUC also wants companies that fail to comply with the law to receive instant fines.
Fix the staffing crisis in social care: There are a record 165,000 vacancies across adult social care. The TUC believes this is placing a huge strain on women with caring responsibilities for family members. The TUC says the government must work with unions and employers to tackle widespread insecure work and poverty pay in the sector which are driving high staff turnover rates.
Edinburgh’s Gleneagles Townhouse partners with Aya Editions to celebrate IWD
New Exhibit Celebrating Scottish and West African female artist collective to open on International Women’s Day at the Townhouse
Throughout the month of March, West African female artists collective, Aya Editions, will be exhibiting ‘Our City’ at Gleneagles Townhouse’s Lobby 37 as its next exclusive cultural installation. The exhibition is available to view daily between 9am and 7pm for the public, and for members and hotel guests throughout their visit to Townhouse.
Aya Editions – a digital space that encourages and promotes West African female artists to showcase their work, combating inequalities in the creative industries – was co-founded by Carina Tenewaa Kanbi, an Edinburgh native of Scottish Ghanaian heritage, and Victoria Cooke in 2020.
Carina and Victoria recognised that women were underrepresented in West African visual arts so founded the collection to help female artists create, promote and sell their work. They believe women’s contribution to creating and safeguarding cultural heritage is so often obscured because of the social and institutional barriers they face to take part in creative industries. Carina and Victoria wanted to remove these barriers and encourage women to take part and continue to contribute to creative industries.
‘Our City’ captures the movements and moments of urban life across West African and Scottish cities and explores the real and imagined city through the lenses of seven young West African and Diasporan female photographers; Hady Barry, Keren Lasme, Clarissa Rötzel, ASK, Chantal Azari and Azumi. Final artist to be confirmed.
‘Our City’ follows each woman’s journey through their city and challenges the stories often told by men that came before them. In doing so, the images within the exhibit celebrate the female gaze, reminding us that among the chaos, there is calm. Through desperation, there is beauty; in mundanity, there is joy, play and patience.
Whilst firmly rooted in these women’s experiences, ‘Our City’ moves beyond representation to explore the varied and divergent photographic practices that take us through fashion, landscape, photojournalism and street photography, reminding us that cities are neither static nor linear and that they are as much imagined as they are real.
Gleneagles Townhouse is celebrating the exhibition’s opening and International Women’s Day on the 8th of March with a special event exclusive to Townhouse Members.
Aya Editions will host a panel discussion on the role of cultural and creative industries in promoting gender-inclusive cities and what we can do together to make a difference, as well as a DJ set from Emma Korantema to finish the evening.
The recommendations of the independent report on Misogyny and Criminal Justice in Scotland have been welcomed in principle by the First Minister.
In a parliamentary statement to mark International Women’s Day 2022, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the report highlighted ways in which the law was currently failing women and girls, and it gave powerful voice to the stark reality of the misogyny faced by women in everyday life.
The First Minister thanked Baroness Kennedy and the working group for producing the report and said Ministers would respond formally as soon as possible, after giving full consideration to the recommendations.
In a statement that reflected on the historic roots of misogyny, the First Minister also made a formal apology to all those accused, convicted, vilified or executed under the Witchcraft Act 1563, on behalf of the Scottish Government.
The First Minister highlighted that while the Witchcraft Act had been consigned to history in Scotland, it was not yet a historic issue in some parts of the world where, even today, women and girls face persecution and death because they have been accused of witchcraft. She said deep misogyny that motivated it could still be seen today in Scotland in everyday harassment, online rape threats and sexual violence.
The First Minister said: “While here in Scotland the Witchcraft Act may have been consigned to history a long time ago, the deep misogyny that motivated it has not. Today it expresses itself, not in claims of witchcraft, but in everyday harassment, online rape threats and sexual violence.
“It is no longer acceptable to expect women and girls to adapt and accommodate. It is time to challenge unacceptable male behaviour, and better protect women from it. We must change for good the culture of misogyny that has normalised such behaviour for far too long.
“It is of course in this context, that Baroness Helena Kennedy’s Working Group on Misogyny has this morning published its ground-breaking report.
“Its recommendations are bold and they are far reaching. However, this report, in my view, matters beyond the detail of the specific recommendations it makes. It matters because it acknowledges and it gives powerful voice to the stark realities of everyday life for women.
“It recognises that misogyny is endemic, and that it blights the lives of women every single day. It also recognises the power of the law to drive social and cultural change, and concedes that for women and girls, our law is currently failing.
“Perhaps most importantly of all, it articulates a fundamental truth that on this International Women’s Day, we must all reflect on – a society in which women do not feel safe is not one in which we can ever be truly equal.”
Earlier yesterday Justice Secretary Keith Brown welcomed the publication of Baroness Helena Kennedy QC’s report on Misogyny and Criminal Justice in Scotland.
Mr Brown thanked Baroness Kennedy for her exemplary efforts and said the recommendations will now be closely considered.
The Working Group was set up to independently consider how the Scottish criminal justice system deals with misogyny.
This included examining whether there are gaps in the law that could be addressed by a specific criminal offence to tackle such behaviour.
The group gathered oral and written evidence from a number of experts and stakeholders and from people with lived experience to determine what more we can do to deal with misogynistic conduct.
Mr Brown will now consider its recommendations of creating a Misogyny Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act containing a public misogynistic harassment offence; an offence of stirring up hatred against women and girls; an offence of issuing threats of, or invoking, rape or sexual assault or disfigurement of women and girls and a new statutory aggravation of misogyny.
Mr Brown said: “I would like to thank Baroness Kennedy for the hard work she and her working group have undertaken in the development of this report.
“This is an extremely important piece of work to help inform policy to address the many forms of violence, transgression and abuse experienced by women which may emanate from misogyny and is a milestone in making our society safe, equal and fair.
“It is clear to me that to achieve true equality we must continue to think about our messaging and how men’s attitudes to women can be effectively challenged to make women feel safe when going about their everyday lives.
“We welcome the Working Group’s report on its findings and recommendations and will now carefully consider those before publishing our response in due course.
“We are absolutely clear that women and girls should not experience any form of harassment, abuse or violence which is why we set up this independent Working Group and it is fitting its findings were published on International Women’s Day.”
Top Trumps have rounded up 30 of the most powerful, successful and influential figures in the world to celebrate International Women’s Day (8th March 2022)
Top Trumps has been an iconic card game for almost 50 years and over this time has launched hundreds of titles across the world in many different languages. From cars to football and Star Wars to Harry Potter and now Great Women.
Great Women Top Trumps features 30 Great Women over time. From politicians to scientists and Hollywood icons, you’ll be amazed and inspired by everything these women have accomplished.
Learn about some of the most brilliant and daring women from throughout history including Marie Currie, Harriet Tubman and Katherine Johnson, as well as contemporary icons like Greta Thunberg and J.K. Rowling.
The categories on the cards include, Year of Birth, Fame, Impact and Courage. Each card includes a biog about the person, explaining exactly why these famous faces will be remembered forever.
Explore some of the defining moments from the worlds of science, music, fashion, politics, mathematics and more.
