National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch will leave his role as National Clinical Director at the end of April.
Mr Leitch became a much-recognised face as a Scottish Government spokesperson during the Covid pandemic, regularly appearing on the nation’s media.
In recent months Mr Leitch has been criticised for the deletion of WhatsApp messages and some private comments he made to government ministers during the pandemic that have recently come to light.
Professor Leitch said: “It has been an enormous privilege to carry out this role and work closely with colleagues across the health and care sector in service of the patients, their families and carers. The NHS and social care system does remarkable work every day, and I am immensely proud of the teams I have had the privilege of being part of.
“The ongoing success of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is globally recognised and has significantly improved the safety and reliability of care in many ways. The Covid pandemic was an unprecedented challenge for all countries and I am proud of my colleagues inside and outside Government for their incredible work.
“It was a privilege to be able to communicate with the public so directly and be part of that co-ordinated response, and I will forever be grateful for the public’s attention and willingness to follow the guidance – it saved lives.
I have decided to look for new challenges across health and care after a break, and to spend more time with the charities I work with.
“I wish colleagues well for the future.”
First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Jason Leitch has made a fantastic contribution to the health of the nation, leading work to reduce hospital acquired infections and improve the quality of care in the NHS.
The enduring success of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is testament to his work. He played a huge role in helping me and fellow Ministers navigate the Covid pandemic by providing advice to help reach the best decisions, and by communicating so well with the public.
“I of course wish him every success in the future.”
Arrangements for the post will be set out in due course.
Young people may be missing out on help because they don’t realise they’re carers
On Young Carers Action Day (13 March) teenagers who look after others are being urged find out if they’re eligible for a grant available only in Scotland.
Since being introduced in 2019 by the Scottish Government, Young Carer Grant has delivered over £3 million to over 6,600 teenage carers.
However a leading carers charity says many young people who look after others do not recognise themselves as carers, as they see the support they give as just part of family life. As a result, they do not know they’re entitled to benefits.
Scottish Government figures suggest around 25% of those eligible for Young Carer Grant in 2022-23 did not apply.
The Carers Trust has joined Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville to urge teenagers who look after others to recognise their vital caring role and to apply for the support available to them.
Young Carers Grant, paid by Social Security Scotland, is available to those aged 16-18 who spend 16 or more hours a week looking after someone who gets a disability benefit.
The grant was introduced in October 2019 by the Scottish Government to help young people with caring responsibilities and is part of a wider package of support for young carers funded by the Scottish Government.
Paul Traynor, Head of External Affairs (Scotland) at Carers Trust, said: “There are lots of young people caring for a relative, friend or member of their community who don’t realise they’re young carers and could be eligible for financial support.
“They might help someone get dressed in the morning, help with shopping or provide emotional support, for example. The person they look after could have a disability, illness or addiction.
“Young carers often view this as ‘just helping out’ or ‘part of family life’. It could even be expected as part of their culture. It is vital that all young carers know about their rights, what support they are entitled to, are able to have a life alongside caring and are helped to reach their full potential in all aspects of their lives.”
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I’m pleased that the grant we introduced has been able to deliver over £3 million to young carers in Scotland who are balancing their vital caring role with study or work.
“However, we know many young people who look after others see the amazing work they do as part of life and do not recognise themselves as carers and so do not realise they can get financial support.
“I urge any young person aged 16, 17 or 18 who looks after someone else to check if they’re eligible for Young Carer Grant and to apply if they are. It’s money they’re entitled to.
“The payment is designed to recognise the important role of unpaid young carers and allow them to take part in the same activities as their peers, whether that’s driving lessons, going on a weekend away or buying new clothes.
“The money can be spent on whatever the young person wants.”
Zainab, who is a young carer said: “I spent my grant on a piano keyboard. I’ve loved to do piano for a very long time but I didn’t have enough funds to buy one as they’re very expensive.
“So I used my Young Carer Grant to buy one and I love it!”
Young carers may also be eligible for Carer Support Payment from Social Security Scotland or Carer’s Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Carer’s Allowance Supplement is also available as an extra payment for people in Scotland who get Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on a particular date each year.
These dates are available on mygov.scot/carers-allowance-supplement.
Greater protections for victims and communities coming into force
New laws to tackle the harm caused by hatred and prejudice come into force next month.The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act will provide greater protection for victims and communities from 1 April.
It creates new stirring up of hatred offences for protected characteristics including age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and transgender identity. These extra provisions will add to the long-standing stirring up racial hatred offences, which have been in place since 1986.
Recent statistics show that 5,738 charges of hate crime were reported in Scotland in 2022-23. However, we know not all crimes will be reported.
A new Scottish Government public awareness raising campaign supported by Police Scotland has been launched today. The Hate Hurts campaign shows the impact of hate crime and encourages those who have witnessed or experienced a hate crime to come forward.
Minister for Victims & Community Safety Siobhian Brown said: “For those impacted by hatred and prejudice, the results can be traumatic and life changing. While we respect everyone’s right to freedom of expression, nobody in our society should live in fear or be made to feel like they don’t belong, and the Scottish Government is committed to building safer communities that live free from hatred and prejudice.
“Hate crime is behaviour that is both criminal and rooted in prejudice. It can be verbal, physical, online or face-to-face. The new law will give greater protections to those who need it and helps to form the basis of understanding about the type of behaviour that is not acceptable in our society.
“We must do all we can to give victims and witnesses the confidence to report instances of hate crime, which is why we have launched a new campaign, ‘Hate Hurts’. The campaign is informed by lived experience, and explains what a hate crime is, the impact it has on victims and how to report it.”
Changing Faces Campaigner, Atholl said: “I was born with a condition called Cystic Hygroma which causes cysts to form where you have lymph nodes and I’ve experienced quite a lot of online trolling. In the darker periods I’ve had people threaten to kill me just because of the way I look.
“There are times when I have cried about what people have said about me. Words can hurt and can have a detrimental effect on how someone feels about themselves, and my best advice is to report it.”
Chief Superintendent Faroque Hussain, hate crime prevention lead, Police Scotland, said: “Hate crime is vile and wrong.
“To target a person, a group or a community because of who they are, how they look, or how they choose to live their lives, undermines freedoms and rights we are entitled to enjoy as human beings.
“We know it can be hard for people to report a hate crime, and in some cases to even recognise or acknowledge that they have been a victim.
“We want everyone targeted by hate crime, or those who witness it, to have confidence to come forward. They can be assured they will be treated with dignity and respect and that the circumstances they report will be fully investigated.”
The Hate Hurts campaign runs 11-31 March across Scottish Government social media channels, video on demand and outdoor billboards.
UNRWA: Scotland’s External Affairs Secretary calls for Gaza aid barriers to be removed
Holyrood’s External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson has urged the UK Government to reverse its decision to suspend aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), given the continuing deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Writing to the Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, Mr Robertson said he could not “overstate how crucial this decision is, for the very survival of starving children, women and men in Gaza”, given that “UNRWA remains the only organisation with the capacity to distribute [aid] at the scale required throughout the territory”.
He commended the UK Government’s decision to provide £60 million additional funding for Palestinian civilians, including for UNRWA in November and said it was “imperative to the survival of the agency and the irreplaceable function that it provides, that this commitment is fulfilled”.
Mr Robertson also noted the European Commission’s announcement on 1 March that it will proceed to paying €50 million to UNRWA, “based on the swift action taken by UNRWA to immediately dismiss the implicated staff members and to launch an independent investigation”.
Angus Robertson’sletter reads:
Dear Andrew,
I am writing to express my heightened concern for the continuing deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and in particular regarding the suspension of aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) by the UK Government. Given the dependence on UNRWA of 2.2 million people in Gaza, including children who are now dying of starvation, dehydration and infectious disease, I implore you to reverse this decision.
I share the concerns about the serious allegations that a number of UNRWA staff were involved in the abhorrent attacks of 7 October on Israel. However, I have been reassured that UNRWA is taking the necessary action to investigate these allegations and to mitigate against such risks in the future.
I note that the European Commission announced on 1 March that it will proceed to paying €50 million to UNRWA and increase its emergency support for Palestine by €68 million in 2024. The Commission stated that it took this decision based on the swift action taken by UNRWA to immediately dismiss the implicated staff members and to launch an independent investigation. UNRWA has provided additional assurances that it will facilitate a further review and audit of the Agency by EU appointed external experts and that it will strengthen its department of internal investigations and the governance surrounding it.
I commend the UK Government’s decision to provide £60 million additional funding for Palestinian civilians, including for UNRWA in November. It is imperative to the survival of the agency and the irreplaceable function that it provides, that this commitment is fulfilled and that UNRWA has the necessary predictability of funding for the next financial year.
I also ask you to use your influence to ensure that the barriers to aid getting into and distributed throughout Gaza, which are being imposed in contravention of international law, are removed. I note that the UK and international partners are exploring the activation of a maritime corridor for aid delivery.
When increased levels of aid finally start to enter the Gaza strip, UNRWA remains the only organisation with the capacity to distribute it at the scale required throughout the territory. They must be able to fulfil this critical function.
I cannot overstate how crucial this decision is, for the very survival of starving children, women and men in Gaza.
ANGUS ROBERTSON
As of 11 March 2024, the European Commission, Canada and Sweden have confirmed they will resume aid funding to the UNRWA.
Any women who have not claimed back the cost of private mesh removal arranged before 3 June 2022 are being encouraged to do so ahead of the planned closure of the Transvaginal Mesh Removal Reimbursement Scheme.
As announced in the parliament in October 2023, the scheme for women to claim back the cost of private mesh removal surgery will close to new applications at the end of March. The Scheme was due to close in December 2023 but the Scottish Government extended to give women a final chance to apply.
Women’s Health Minister Jenni Minto said: “Many women who have been impacted by complications after having had transvaginal mesh implanted have experienced immense pain and suffering.
“It is important that women who are eligible to apply to the Transvaginal Mesh Removal Reimbursement Scheme are not left out of pocket, which is why the Scottish Government extended the scheme. I would urge any women who thinks she may be eligible for reimbursement to apply before 31 March.”
Edinburgh residents, visitors, and industry back plans for a visitor levy, an engagement exercise has revealed.
Generating close to 4,000 responses in total, a four-week survey conducted by the Council over Christmas and New Year found broad support for the aims and objectives of its Visitor Levy for Edinburgh proposals.
The survey found that Capital residents and community groups are particularly keen to see some of an Edinburgh levy reinvested towards enhancing essential public services, such as keeping the city clean and moving.
Business groups, who have largely fed back via focussed engagement sessions, express greater support for dedicated destination marketing and industry support, while everyone tends to agree a levy should be simple to administer and support the protection and enhancement of Edinburgh’s heritage and world-famous cultural offering.
The full findings – which echo evidence gathered by Council officers over the last six years – will be presented to Councillors on the Policy and Sustainability Committee on Tuesday (12 March).
Members of the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will also meet on the same day to debate amendments to the national Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill which, if set in legislation as the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act this Spring/Summer, will allow Scotland’s local authorities including Edinburgh to charge a levy on overnight accommodation.
With much of the Capital’s scheme already researched and developed, Edinburgh is well placed to formally consult on and finalise its plans and is likely to become the first city in the UK to formally adopt a city-wide visitor levy.
Cammy Day, City of Edinburgh Council Leader, said: “Edinburgh has been lobbying the Scottish Government for more than a decade for the local powers to introduce a visitor levy. Finally, we are edging closer to this long-called for legislation.
“Throughout the years, we have repeatedly and actively engaged with our tourism and hospitality industry, as well as with residents, seeking views at various stages on the type of visitor levy Edinburgh needs.
“At every turn, we’ve had overwhelming backing at a community level and have witnessed growing support from those in the tourism and hospitality industry. This is only building as we head towards the last Parliamentary hurdle.
“We’re very proud that Edinburgh is one of the world’s most popular visitor destinations, but we’re equally aware that this success comes at a cost. A small overnight charge is common practice in other major cities and destinations, so why not here?
“The introduction of a levy will provide a funding stream that would be reinvested in the city and our infrastructure, to the benefit of our visitors and, crucially, the people who live here in our great Capital city all year round.
“While I welcome how far the Bill has come, I also echo the concerns shared by COSLA last week that it needs to allow visitor levies to be more flexible and quicker for Councils to roll out.
“Now that Edinburgh is ready to lead the introduction, I hope to see these adopted in the amendments Members of Parliament debate next week.”
High quality, accessible and affordable childcare is a key part of driving equality in the workplace and tackling the gender pay gap, First Minister Humza Yousaf has said.
On a visit to mark International Women’s Day 2024, the First Minister announced £16 million of additional investment to enable people delivering funded early learning and childcare in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) childcare sectors, to be paid at least £12 per hour from April 2024.
Guidance published today confirms how this funding will be allocated. This is part of efforts to deliver the Scottish Government’s Fair Work agenda and to support sustainability in the childcare sector.
The First Minister confirmed the funding on a visit to TASK Childcare in Glasgow yesterday with the Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise, Natalie Don.
The announcement reflects the United Nations’ designated theme for International Women’s Day 2024: ‘Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress’ with a focus on addressing economic disempowerment.
First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “This International Women’s Day, I’m proud the Scottish Government’s cabinet has a majority of women and to have appointed Kaukab Stewart as the first woman of colour to hold a ministerial role in Scotland. In 2024, it is vital the Scottish Government represents modern Scotland.
“We have made great progress to prioritise and accelerate gender equality across our country. We rightly no longer question what women can accomplish but we should always question whether we are doing enough to remove barriers that too many women in our society continue to face.
“Evidence shows that a lack of affordable and accessible childcare for many women with children will result in too many women leaving the workforce, working part time or taking up work in inflexible employment which pays less and doesn’t make best use of their skills. That is why my government is prioritising additional investment of £16 million in Scotland’s childcare workforce.
“The Scottish Government has already delivered the most generous early learning and childcare offer on these islands and high quality, accessible and affordable childcare is a key part of our goal to drive equality in Scotland’s workforce and tackle the gender pay gap.
“Supporting families is not only fundamentally the right thing to do, it is critical to our national missions – affordable and accessible childcare supports female employment and enables secure, sustainable employment.”
Children’s Minister Natalie Don said: “This International Women’s Day, I am proud we are delivering on a key pledge to ensure £12 per hour for those working in the private, voluntary and independent childcare sector to deliver funded ELC. We are already delivering the most generous funded childcare offer in the UK today but we recognise we need to do more to tackle poverty and support gender equality.
“High quality, accessible and affordable childcare is a critical part of the national infrastructure we need to drive greater equality in Scotland’s workforce and tackle the gender pay gap. The innovative work we are leading through our six early adopter communities will enable us to better understand what a future all-age childcare system could look like for Scotland, to support more families out of poverty.”
COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Councillor Tony Buchanan said: “Scotland’s councils, working closely with their partners in the private, third and childminding sectors, are committed to supporting families through delivering 1140 hours of high quality funded early learning and childcare (ELC) across our communities.
“Providing the youngest in our communities with positive opportunities for play, learning and development, funded ELC provision is enabling parents – including mothers, who we know can often face particular barriers – to access work, training or study.
“The guidance being published today to support delivery of the £12 per hour pay commitment during 2024-25 has been developed and agreed through positive partnership working between Scottish and Local Government. We look forward to continuing to work in partnership as we take forward the range of actions identified in the joint Sustainable Rates Review.”
Chancellor doubles-down on biggest childcare reform
Chancellor commits a further £500 million for childcare providers over the next two years.
New funding will give the sector the certainty to invest in staff and space for the future
The Chancellor also confirmed new rules which will require local authorities to pass through more government money and confirm final hourly rates faster.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt added £500 million in funding for the rollout of free childcare, helping tens of thousands of parents back to work and growing the economy.
The new money means childcare providers will be protected from rising costs by increasing the national average hourly rate with inflation, average earnings and the National Living Wage. This comes on top of more than £4 billion of investment per year announced at Spring Budget last year and will benefit around 60,000 childcare providers in England, giving them more confidence to invest and expand.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:“Last year I announced the single biggest investment in childcare in England’s history, saving parents up to £6,900 a year in fees and helping tens of thousands into work.
“We’re now going a step further by protecting nurseries and preschools from rising costs and getting funding to them quicker, helping parents back to work and the economy to turn a corner.”
New funding rules will mean providers are given more financial certainty and receive more government money. Planned reforms to local funding rules will mean local authorities will be required to confirm final hourly rates to providers within eight weeks of local authority rates being published and pass through at least 97 percent of funding. Currently local authorities need to pass through 95 percent of funding and confirm final rates by the end of the financial year.
To ensure that nurseries and early years providers can get the workers they need to offer more childcare places, the government recently launched a national recruitment campaign to encourage people to start a career in childcare.
There are currently 1.5 million childcare places available across England and around 330,000 staff working in the sector. The new investment will help deliver thousands more places and staff to ensure the sector is ready.
Tens of thousands of parents have already received childcare eligibility codes so they can access free childcare from April, when the first stage of the offer is rolled out. Working parents using the full 30-hour entitlement next year will save up to £6,900, helping tens of thousands back into work.
This significant expansion of childcare provision is part of the government’s plan to reward work and grow the economy. Inflation has fallen from 11.1% to 4%, borrowing costs are starting to come down and debt is on track to fall as a share of the economy. Because of this progress, the government announced tax cuts for working people Spring Budget 2024, which will bring thousands more people into work.
Building on the 2 percentage point cut to Employee National Insurance at Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced a second 2p cut from 10% to 8% from April. Taken together with the cut to Employee National Insurance at Autumn Statement, this slashes the main rate of Employee NICs by a third and means the average worker earning £35,400 a year will be over £900 better off this year.
The Chancellor also went further with tax cuts for the self-employed, having reduced Class 4 NICs from 9% to 8% and abolished the requirement to pay Class 2 NICs at Autumn Statement. Today he announced a further 2p cut to Class 4 NICs for the self-employed to 6%, meaning the average worker earning £28,000 will be £650 better off compared with last year.
This support for working parents comes on top of plans for the High Income Child Benefit Charge to be assessed on a household basis by April 2026, with a consultation to come on achieving this.
To ensure working families benefit from increasing their earnings before this change is made, the threshold to start paying back Child Benefit will increase in April from £50,000 to £60,000 – a 20% increase which will take 170,000 families out of paying the charge this year – while Child Benefit will no longer need to be repaid in full until earnings exceed £80,000.
This represents a £1,260 boost on average for around half a million working families, rising to nearly £5,000 for some families when combined with tax cuts since Autumn Statement. This will put an end to the current unfairness, where two parents earning £49,000 a year receive the full Child Benefit while a household with a single earner on over £50,000 does not.
The OBR says the immediate changes to the HICBC will lead to an increase in hours worked equivalent to around 10,000 more people entering the workforce on a full-time basis.
An independent, judge-led, statutory Public Inquiry will take place into the investigation of Emma Caldwell’s murder in 2005, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs Angela Constance has announced.
In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, the Justice Secretary told MSPs that it was time to apply fresh scrutiny to the case – to understand what went wrong, to ensure lessons are learned for the future and to provide answers to the victims and survivors involved.
Further details will be set out once live legal proceedings in the case have concluded and a chair of the Inquiry has been appointed. Ministers will work alongside the Chair and Emma’s family in setting and agreeing the terms of reference for the Inquiry.
The decision to hold a Public Inquiry was reached after the First Minister and Justice Secretary held discussions with Emma’s family, including her mother Margaret Caldwell, on Tuesday this week.
The Justice Secretary said: “Margaret Caldwell and her family have waited far too long to get justice for Emma. I have expressed directly to them on behalf of the Scottish Government how deeply sorry we are for their loss, and for the pain and grief they have had to endure.
“Nineteen years have elapsed between Emma’s murder and a conviction, showing serious failings occurred in the investigation. Given this, along with the gravity of this case, the length of time that it took for justice to be served for so many women and the horrific extent of the sexual violence suffered by the victims and survivors, the case for holding a public inquiry is overwhelming.
“The family want to have answers and deserve nothing less. The First Minister made clear that we would give serious consideration to the Caldwell family’s call for a Public Inquiry after hearing directly from Margaret Caldwell and her family, and pledged we would do so quickly.
“I am glad that now we have been able to answer their call by announcing that we will set up a Public Inquiry.”
Campaigners from the Unbound the Greyhound coalition delivered their open letter, calling for a phase out to dog racing in Scotland, to the Scottish Government yesterday.
22,655 people signed the coalition’s open letter, including celebrities such as TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham, actor Peter Egan, and historian and broadcaster, David Olusoga.
MSPs joined the charities, and greyhounds rescued from the racing industry, outside Parliament in support.
The letter hand-in comes just weeks after Scottish Greens MSP, Mark Ruskell, launched the consultation for his proposed Bill to ban greyhound racing, the Proposed Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill.
The coalition is very supportive of this Bill.
Spokesperson for the coalition, Eve Massie Bishop, said: “There has been a real shift in attitudes towards dog racing in recent years.
“Not only have 22,655 people added their name to our letter to the Scottish Government to phase out greyhound racing in Scotland, but polling carried out by Panelbase has also found that six in ten Scots think the Scottish Parliament should vote to phase out greyhound racing.
“A 2019 petition to ban greyhound racing, from coalition member Scotland Against Greyhound Exploitation, is also the most signed petition in Scottish parliamentary history.
“Our campaign has attracted the support of animal lovers from across the world, including the US, Australia, Japan, France, and Spain.
All eyes are now on the Scottish Parliament, which can show leadership and compassion and take steps to phase out this dying industry.”
2,718 greyhounds died and there were 2,284 total injuries recorded at the hands of the industry between 2018-2022.
Rescue greyhound, Sasha, who was at the open letter hand-in, was injured 8 years ago and was almost killed as a result.
Sasha broke her leg during a race at the former Armadale Stadium, in West Lothian, and was left in her kennel without treatment for days.
When her owner finally did take her to the vet, he wanted her to be put down, despite her injury being treatable.
Thankfully, the vet convinced Sasha’s owner to surrender her instead.
The coalition is very supportive of Mark Ruskell MSP’s Proposed Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Scotland) Bill, stating: “The Scottish Government’s proposals to license greyhound racing simply won’t protect these dogs.
“The Scottish public know this. In response to the Government’s recent consultation on its licensing proposals, most respondents responded instead calling for a phase out of greyhound racing.
“Mr Ruskell has recognised that greyhound racing carries inherent welfare risks and that only a ban on this outdated ‘sport’ will protect these loving, affectionate dogs. We are grateful for Mr Ruskell’s commitment to ending this dying industry which survives only on the exploitation of gentle dogs. He has our absolute support.”
Mark Ruskell MSP commented: “Greyhound racing is a cruel gambling-led sport. There is nothing safe about forcing dogs to run around an oval track at 40 mph. It is wrong, and it must be stopped.
“The industry has shown that it cannot be trusted to regulate itself, with hundreds of greyhounds dying or being injured every year.
“Animal welfare organisations are clear – the inherent risks of greyhound racing mean that the welfare of these beautiful dogs can only be truly protected by banning racing for good. And that is exactly what my proposed Bill intends to do.
“Thanks to the Unbound the Greyhound coalition, we know that the public also wants to see our four-legged friends protected too. An incredible 22,655 people have signed the coalition’s open letter calling for an end to greyhound racing in Scotland.
“Change is coming. So I hope that as many people as possible take part in my consultation and that we can use it to develop the most appropriate and robust legislation possible and deliver an end to this abusive and badly-dated practice.”
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.”
