Tag: Women

Women’s Charity marks 90th at Conference in Edinburgh

Registered women’s charity, Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI), is celebrating its 90th year by relaunching its national railway safety project.

On 1-3 November, the charity – which has consultancy status at the United Nations – held its 90th conference at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh and used this milestone occasion to take a fresh look at a project first carried out 28 years ago.

First launched in 1996, ‘The Future of the Railways’ was an investigation into personal safety on the railways, which the charity’s members – known as Soroptimists – used to lobby the Government into taking action to do more to protect women on public transport.

It was launched in response to a Soroptimist being attacked on a train in the London area.

Soroptimists carried out grassroots research into the views and experiences of women passengers, as well as speaking to station managers and staff and visiting over 500 over-ground stations across Britain.

SIGBI published a report making recommendations to the UK Government on how to improve safety in stations, claiming the Government’s approach to passenger safety in railway stations was ineffective.

To further advance the work being done, the charity is kickstarting the project again – asking the same questions to the UK’s railway stations, to see how much has changed, as well as expanding it to airports and bus stations, to obtain a more detailed bigger picture of women’s safety across the country. The charity is also questioning whether the Government’s approach to passenger safety has moved on since 1996.

Over 500 women attended the three-day conference, with each day having a different theme – educate, empower, and enable.

Ruth Healey, President of SIGBI, said: “We’re so proud of the work our members have carried out over the last 90 years.

“The goal of all our projects is to stand up for women and girls, advocating for equal rights, opportunities, and representation. The relaunch of our railway safety project will be key in advancing this important issue and bringing it to the forefront of policy makers’ agendas.

“It was only in August this year that the British Transport Police reported that violence against women and girls on British railways has risen by more than 50% over two years.

“Clearly, more needs to be done, and urgently. We’re proud to be playing our part in helping to shape a safer environment for women when travelling.”

Soroptimists are carrying out ‘Bystander Awareness’ training in communities up and down the UK, in a bid to help identify and prevent violence against women and girls.

As well as panel discussions, and an address from Baroness Floella Benjamin, the charity also hosted its Best Practice Awards at the conference – a scheme which celebrates clubs’ projects.

At the conference, the charity also collected over 2,300 pants for Edinburgh-based charity, Smalls for All – a charity that collects underwear for people in the UK and Africa who can’t afford or access any.

Maria Macnamara, Founder and CEO of Smalls for All, said: “Giving pants and bras may seem like a small thing, but it can make a life-changing difference. Each month many teenage girls miss school, and women miss work, because of a lack of access to underwear means they’re forced to stay at home during their period. 

“Demand remains huge in Africa, but, in recent years, has also increased significantly in the UK. 

“We’re so grateful to have been part of the SIGBI conference to share our message and express our thanks to the Soroptimists for the wonderful donations they’ve made, both at this conference and over the years.”

Ruth concluded: “It’s been incredible getting so many Soroptimists in one room to reflect on what we’ve achieved, as well as to look ahead to the next phase of some of our key projects.

“It’s only by working together that we can empower women and girls to achieve their full potential and eliminate barriers and discriminations that hinder women’s progress.”

To mark the charity’s nine decades, Soroptimists are also completing a ‘90 for 90 years’ challenge – including everything from supporting foodbanks, to knitting for premature baby units, to donating items to domestic abuse charities, and more.

Safe Access Zones now in place around Scotland’s abortion facilities

Protected zones of 200 meters around all abortion services in Scotland are now in place.

Within these zones, it is now a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly behave in ways that could influence the decisions of women and staff to access services; impede their access; or otherwise cause alarm, harassment or distress.

Police Scotland are responsible for enforcing the legislation. People who break the law can be fined up to £10,000, or be given an unlimited fine, depending on the court procedure.

Determining whether an offence has been committed will be a matter for Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Courts.

Depending on the facts and circumstances of each case, some examples of criminal behaviour may include: approaching someone to try and persuade them not to access abortion services, surrounding people as they try to go in or out of the clinic or hospital, handing out leaflets, religious preaching and silent vigils.

Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health Jenni Minto said: “The introduction of Safe Access Zones is a crucial milestone in protecting women’s abortion rights – no one has the right to interfere in women’s personal medical decisions and the law now makes that abundantly clear.

“I thank Gillian Mackay (pictured below) and all those involved for their work to progress this legislation.

“I would like to especially recognise the women who showed incredible courage in speaking up and sharing their experiences during the Bill process.

“The new zones of 200 meters around all abortion services will help ensure women have safe access to healthcare – free from intimidation. This law is about protection for women at a time when many will feel incredibly vulnerable around taking a deeply personal and difficult decision.”

Full details of the penalties that apply for committing an offence.

Full list of the locations of zones:

University Hospital Crosshouse – Kilmarnock

Borders General Hospital – Melrose

Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary

Galashiels Health Centre

Oak Tree Family Health Centre – Stranraer

Queen Margaret Hospital – Dunfermline

Victoria Hospital – Kirkcaldy

Forth Valley Royal Hospital – Larbert

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

Aberdeen Community Hospital

Aberdeen Maternity Hospital

Dr Gray’s Hospital – Elgin

Inverclyde Hospital – Greenock

Royal Alexandra Hospital – Paisley

Sandyford Sexual Health Clinic – Glasgow

Princess Royal Maternity Hospital – Glasgow

Ross Hall – Glasgow

New Victoria Hospital – Glasgow

Queen Elizabeth University Hospital – Glasgow

Stobhill Hospital – Glasgow

Vale of Leven Hospital – West Dunbartonshire

Raigmore Hospital – Inverness

University Hospital Wishaw

Royal Infirmary Edinburgh

Chalmers Sexual Health Centre – Edinburgh

St John’s Hospital – Livingston

The Balfour – Livingston

Gilbert Bain Hospital – Lerwick

Ninewells Hospital – Dundee

Western Isles Hospital – Stornoway

ACAS: More than one third of women do not think they get equal pay in their organisation

More than one-third of women (36%) believe they do not get the same pay as men at their organisation, according to a new survey.

Ahead of International Equal Pay Day (18th September), workplace expert Acas commissioned YouGov to survey perceptions of pay equality.

The survey showed that more than one-third of women believed they were not being paid as much as men.

The survey also showed that just 10% of men believed they were being paid more than women.

By law, men and women must get equal pay for doing ‘equal work’.

Acas’s individual dispute resolution service, Early Conciliation, which helps to resolve potential employment tribunal claims, saw a 34% increase between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Acas Head of Inclusive Workplaces Julie Dennis said: “Having an equal pay policy can help bosses be open and clear with their staff about how they achieve equal pay and how they will resolve any pay issues.

“This can help tackle any perceptions that men are being paid more than women and help ensure employers are not breaking the law.

“Women doing equal work to their male colleagues should not be paid less and employers should be consistent when deciding people’s pay and contractual terms and conditions.”

“Acas has advice for employers on setting equal pay policies, and performing an “equal pay audit” if businesses have more than 50 employees. An “equal pay review” is for businesses that have fewer than 50 staff to check for potential issues.

“Employees who believe they are not receiving equal pay should talk to their employer to try to resolve the issue. Acas also provides advice on raising the issue formally as a grievance and making an equal pay claim.”

TUC: It’s Gender Pension Gap Day – and we need to talk about Carers Credit

Today is Gender Pension Gap Day – the point of the year from which, if women received their pension at the same rate as men, they wouldn’t get another penny until January.

The fact that we reach this point in the middle of the summer holidays is a stark illustration of the levels of inequality in our pension system.

At just under 37.9 per cent, the gender pension gap is much wider than the gender pay gap and, according to annual research by Prospect, it has barely budged in recent years (it stood at 40.7 per cent in 2015-16 when the trade union started measuring it).

The result is that, taking into account all forms of pension, retired women today have incomes around £7,000 a year lower than retired men.

What causes the gender pensions gap?

There are three main drivers of the gender pensions gap:

  • Different lifetime working patterns that mean women are more likely to take time out of the labour market or work part-time, most often because of unpaid caring responsibilities
  • The gender pay gap, exacerbated by a workplace pension system that excludes many low earners altogether
  • Differing levels of state pension entitlement

The impact of unpaid caring

Previous TUC analysis has highlighted the role of the pay gap – and a workplace pension system that excludes many low earners – in leaving women poorer in retirement.

But the most significant factor in the wildly unequal pension outcomes for men and women is the first bullet point – women are much more likely than men to spend time out of work or working part-time because of caring commitments than men.

This matters because our pension system is designed so that the typical worker will get around half the retirement income they need from the State Pension and half from a workplace pension.

National Insurance credits generally recognise the value of unpaid work such as caring so that people continue to build up state pension entitlement, but those out of paid work stop building up their workplace pension.

These contribution gaps are the biggest factor in women with a defined contribution pension approaching retirement having a pension pot less than half the size of men on average.

How wide is the ‘economic activity gap’?

New TUC analysis shows that women are vastly more likely than men to be out of paid work – and therefore unlikely to be building up a workplace pension – because of caring responsibilities.

This disparity can be seen in every age group, and is particularly wide for groups who face additional barriers in the labour market, such as disabled women and BME women.

Overall, women are 4.5 times more likely than men to be economically inactive – the Office for National Statistics’ term for people neither in or looking paid work – because of caring responsibilities.

The chart below shows that rates of economic activity due to caring responsibilities peak between the ages of 25 and 44, with more than one in 11 women aged 35-39 in this category.

The gap is highest in the late 20s, with women aged 25-29 more than 14 times more likely than male counterparts to be out of paid work because of caring commitments.

Source: TUC analysis of ONS Labour Force Survey, Q1 2024

This is perhaps unsurprising, with working mums much more likely to take time off work to look after kids.

It has a particularly large impact on pension saving, however. These are the years when workers typically have higher incomes than when they are just starting out, meaning their pension contributions are greater, but they are also far from retirement, so those contributions will remain invested for longer and have more time to grow.

The charts below show that BME women are particularly likely to be affected. While white women are four times more likely than men to be out of work looking after a loved one, the figure rises to 6.4 times more likely for BME women.

Previous TUC analysis has highlighted the impact this has on older BME women, with almost one in three who leave the labour market before they reach State Pension Age doing so because of caring responsibilities.

Source: TUC analysis of ONS Labour Force Survey, Q1 2024

And the chart below shows that people who are themselves disabled, are also much more likely to be out of the labour market because of caring responsibilities to others.

Disabled women are almost nine times more likely than non-disabled men to be in this position.

Source: TUC analysis of ONS Labour Force Survey, Q1 2024

Tackling the gender pension gap

The TUC has long called on governments to get serious about measuring the gender pension gap, and set out a plan to reduce it.

The last government did begin reporting on the gender pension gap (it’s measure looks only on the differences in workplace pension built up by men and women and put the gap at 35 per cent).

But this is only the first step, and the new government must build on this by setting out a comprehensive plan to reduce the gap

The recently announced Pensions Review is a great opportunity to do this, and we believe this should include an explicit strand on tackling pensions inequality.

We have previously made recommendations to bring more low paid and part-time workers into workplace pensions by expanding auto-enrolment, and to address the crisis in our social and childcare systems.

Time to give carers credit

But the figures above make clear that it will be difficult to improve women’s retirement incomes without improving the way our pension system recognises the value of unpaid care work.

This would require replacing the workplace pension contributions lost by those out of paid work, and there have been a number of proposals to introduce a Carers Credit that would do this.

We believe the most straightforward way of doing this is for those out of the labour market with a young child and registered carers to build up additional State Pension, on top of the flat-rate New State Pension.

This would be essentially reintroducing a feature that was removed in 2016. Before this point, people looking after children under 12 and registered for child benefit built up State Second Pension credit in addition to a credit towards the basic state pension.

When it was removed this credit was worth an extra £1.80 a week in pension in 2015-16 terms. So a worker who took five years out of paid work to raise kids, for example, would have built up almost £500 a year in additional State Pension over these years to plug the gap in their workplace pension contributions.

There is no single policy that would fix the gender pension gap, but introducing (or reintroducing) a Carers Credit would be a very significant step in the right direction.

Corra grant awarded to develop new Women’s Recovery House

Cyrenians, NHS Lothians LEAP, and Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership have been successful in a recent Corra Foundation grant bid to develop and implement a Women’s Recovery House in Edinburgh.

The House, for patients moving on from residential recovery in the LEAP program, offers women who do not have a safe home to return to the opportunity to continue their recovery supported by their peers.

The first of its kind in Edinburgh, the house creates a level playing field for women, who until this point have had limited options available upon completing the 12 week LEAP programme.

Amy Hutton, Director of Services at Cyrenians said, “This is a fantastic step forward in supporting the recovery community, particularly women who have been underserved in this area for quite some time.

‘We know, from experience, that highly traumatised women don’t fare well in standard service delivery environments, so to be able to offer a bespoke, safe home, truly is groundbreaking.

‘Men in Edinburgh completing the LEAP programme have benefited from a similar model for many years, so this new Women’s House really levels the playing field and helps us continue providing peer support to women who otherwise would be isolated in their recovery.”

This new funding not only allows the partnership to provide accommodation beyond the LEAP programme, but will also support the development of a Wellbeing Coordinator, providing assistance to patients throughout the LEAP programme and during their stay at the Recovery House.

Viki Fox, LEAP Manager for Cyrenians added: “The number of women attending our LEAP programme has been increasing year on year. To have this move on option available for those who would otherwise be discharged into an unsafe home, or indeed, homelessness, is a fantastic step forward to improving their quality of life and ability to stay in recovery.

‘By providing additional support through our wellbeing coordinator we will be able to offer practical and emotional support that will help build self-esteem and independence.

‘Recovery is only the first step – learning to live again beyond addiction takes time, and without support can feel overwhelming and thankless. The support from Corra Foundation allows us to address this need directly, and ultimately will provide women in Edinburgh the chance to rebuild their lives on their own terms.”

Scottish Opera Young Company present world premiere of Red this summer

This July, Scottish Opera Young Company is presenting the world premiere of RED, a darkly comedic piece drawn from fairy tales by The Brothers Grimm, at the Company’s Production Studios in Glasgow.

An interwoven story of the four stages of women’s lives that often feature in folk tales, RED is by award-winning composer Karen MacIver, with a libretto by Scottish Opera’s Director of Outreach and Education, Jane Davidson MBE.

The conductor is Young Company’s Artistic Director Chris Gray, with Flora Emily Thomson (Maud & Down in the Valley 2023 and As The Seasons Turn 2022) returning to direct the 14 young performers aged between 17 to 21. Set and costume designs are by Finlay McLay.

RED is inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Snow White and Hansel & Gretel, and features aspects of the ages of unnamed female figures — girl, maiden, mother, crone — that often appear in these famous stories. The 70-minute opera examines the circular, metamorphic nature of these tales as well as experiences shared by generations of women across time through magical realism.

Karen MacIver (above) and Jane Davidson said: ‘RED is an exploration of the some of the key defining characteristics of the female protagonist in stories – bringing the tradition from its beginnings in folk tales and right up to contemporary interpretations.

‘Women are judged by a different set of values, and many still face the unenviable choices of relationships (family) versus personal aspiration. In more recent times, the medium of stage and film – and of music composed for these– has gained dominance in terms of how we experience storytelling.

‘Stephen Sondheim and Bernard Herrmann are masters in the art of musically driven plots. Their works have greatly influenced the score, not only in the musical choices made, but also as a guiding light for compelling storytelling in terms of the landscape of sound.

‘Literary influences include Margaret Atwood, whose beautifully concise, darkly humorous style, with twists and turns at the most unexpected of moments, we have tried to capture in the libretto.

‘Working within the parameters of four short acts drove the need for a musical score that describes the plot every bit as much as the words. Interspersed throughout are strands of magical realism, lending an everyday quality to the more outrageous aspects of the story arc that we are confident most of the audience will recognise.

‘So, throw in some chatty crockery, firefighters with a nice line in barbershop singing, some 1980s shoulder padded glamour, a wolf that needs therapy and you might just get a sense of what to expect.’

Director Flora Emily Thomson said: ‘I’m so excited to be working with the Young Company again to bring to life RED. 

“Karen MacIver and Jane Davidson’s intricate and charged piece is brimming with possibilities, compelling us to consider the relationship between women, power and patriarchy across a lifetime, and the shifts and sacrifices needed to navigate these.

“As we follow our protagonist through her ages, our ensemble uses dynamic and sensory movement to build her worlds and destroy them, constantly moving the goal posts and manipulating the parameters of her world.

“Taking place on a striking and stark, angular set, prepare to experience some of society’s oldest tales in a thoroughly modern way.’

Scottish Opera Young Company offers young singers a unique and practical introduction to the world of opera and the chance to develop their talent through a year-long programme, working with a range of music professionals.

For many of the singers, it is the first step towards building a career in the arts, and gives them the opportunity to perform music written especially for young voices.

Tickets for RED, which is supported by Scottish Opera’s Education Angels and The Rose Fund, are available to buy now from www.scottishopera.org.uk/shows/red

Today: Breathing Room at PCHP

Did you know that we have a secret weapon right under our nose? One that can help us calm our nervous system; helping us to feel grounded, centered and connected to ourselves.

And what is this secret weapon I hear you ask…? Well, it’s the simple act of breathing mindfully.

Join me, Jules. on Monday mornings here at PCHP and together we’ll explore different breath practices that help not only improve our quality of breath but also help us relax and re-charge ready for the week ahead.

10-10.30am – Breathwork, seated warm-up and guided meditation

10.45-11.30am – Yoga Practice

*** Women Only ***

Want to know more? Get in touch with us via email: hello@pchp.org.uk

#PCHP40

#ESSENTIALSECTOR

#FIVEWAYSTOWELLBEING

Menopause Goals at Spartans

‘Celebrating the Second Half‘

There are around 400,000 women in Scotland who are of menopausal age. Too many of them will feel like they are alone.

For some it’s still a taboo subject which can lead to a lack of discussion and understanding. Every area of their life impacted and, often, left with crippling social isolation.

Menopause Goals is a pilot programme that aims to harness the power of football to help – thanks to a collaborative effort from the Scottish FA, St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation, University of Glasgow, and menopause expert Maria Anderson.

The initial 12-week course – held at St Mirren Park – saw 25 local women, who each had to address a number of issues brought on by the menopause, report improvements with symptoms, a greater sense of empowerment and, overall, better mental health.

The plan is to roll the programme out across Scotland so it can be delivered by other football clubs and charity groups – and it’s coming to Spartans here in North Edinburgh this month (see poster).

Corrie Campbell (Scottish FA, Football Social Responsibility Officer) explained: “So far, the power of football has tackled a lot of issues, but menopause is one of the few remaining taboo subjects that impacts so many people.

“A lot of people are still embarrassed to talk about it, whether it’s in the workplace or within their own family and friendship groups.

“I think there’s a real opportunity for football clubs around Scotland to make a difference.

“We came together to form Menopause Goals because there’s a need for education and knowledge for women in Scotland and we’re really excited about it.

“The tagline is ‘celebrating the second half’ and we want to help provide the tools, knowledge and confidence so people know their life isn’t over when they’re perimenopausal or postmenopausal.

“The University of Glasgow’s research department conducted an evaluation of the project using various methodologies.

“The pilot spanned 12 weeks and involved 25 participants experiencing symptoms at different menopausal stages.

“The Menopause Goals leadership team – including Gayle Brannigan, Chief Executive of St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation, and our menopause expert, Maria Anderson – organised weekly in-person sessions, complemented by online resource sharing.

“The pilot aimed to enhance participants’ knowledge about menopause and their personal journeys, helping them comprehend the impact on their well-being, relationships, and professional lives.

“The research outcomes will pave the way for a resource that enables the implementation of similar programs in football clubs throughout Scotland.  This resource will also contribute to government objectives, given that menopause is a focal point in the Women’s Health Plan.

“Looking ahead, the objective is to leverage football’s influence. This innovative resource aims to educate and empower volunteers and staff within football across Scotland, providing them with tools and knowledge to support women gradually.

“The goal is to enable women to comprehend the complexities of menopause, fostering logical thinking about their body’s needs. By applying their learning in manageable steps, women can reduce symptoms, boost confidence to communicate with health professionals, and articulate their needs effectively.”

Justice for WASPI women?

A comprehensive investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has found that thousands of women may have been affected by DWP’s failure to adequately inform them that the State Pension age had changed.  

The 1995 Pensions Act and subsequent legislation raised the State Pension age for women born on or after 6 April 1950. The Parliamentary and Health Servive Ombudsman investigated complaints that, since 1995, DWP has failed to provide accurate, adequate and timely information about areas of State Pension reform. 

PHSO published stage one of their investigation in July 2021. It found failings in the way DWP communicated changes to women’s State Pension age. 

This final report combines stages two and three of the investigation. It both considers the injustice resulting from the maladministration we identified during stage one and also sets out our thinking about remedy. 

To date, DWP has not acknowledged its failings nor put things right for those women affected. DWP has also failed to offer any apology or explanation for its failings and has indicated it will not compensate women affected by its failure. 

DWP’s handling of the changes meant some women lost opportunities to make informed decisions about their finances. It diminished their sense of personal autonomy and financial control. 

PHSO Chief Executive Rebecca Hilsenrath, said: “The UK’s national Ombudsman has made a finding of failings by DWP in this case and has ruled that the women affected are owed compensation. DWP has clearly indicated that it will refuse to comply. This is unacceptable. The Department must do the right thing and it must be held to account for failure to do so.   

“Complainants should not have to wait and see whether DWP will take action to rectify its failings. Given the significant concerns we have that it will fail to act on our findings and given the need to make things right for the affected women as soon as possible, we have proactively asked Parliament to intervene and hold the Department to account.

“Parliament now needs to act swiftly, and make sure a compensation scheme is established. We think this will provide women with the quickest route to remedy.”   

The investigation has been complex and involved analysing thousands of pages of evidence. On a number of occasions, parties were allowed additional time to consider and comment on our views.

PHSO also agreed last year to look again at part of their stage two findings following a legal challenge. All of this resulted to delays in the final report. 

The report has been laid before Parliament, with a request that it looks at PHSO’s findings and intervenes to agree a remedy for the women affected.

While Parliament will make its own decisions about rectifying the injustice, PHSO have shared what they consider to be an appropriate remedy.

In addition to paying compensation, PHSO have made it clear that DWP should acknowledge its failings and apologise for the impact it has had on complainants and others similarly affected. 

The Ombudsman has received a series of complaints relating to how well DWP has communicated a variety of State Pension reforms. Concerns about communication of changes to the State Pension age constitute only one such area of complaint.

The Department has also declined to act on other issues that have been consistently highlighted in complaints. A report from the Ombudsman later in the year will set these out. 

It’s understood that over three million women are affected. So far, neither Conservative nor Labour politicians have committed to paying compensation,

SHE Scotland: Community Ambassador training

INFORMATION SESSION this FRIDAY from 9.30 – 11.30am

Do you want to support other females? Would you like to grow in confidence?

Join SHE for our 4 week Ambassador training starts this Friday 26th January.

We are delivering a fun, informative and life changing course for women.

Message below or contact shescotland@outlook.com