Women’s rights reports launched at Parliament

Engender has launched their shadow report on the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), at a reception at the Scottish Parliament hosted by Christina McKelvie MSP, newly appointed Minister for Older People and Equalities.

The reception marked Engender’s 25th anniversary, and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressed the event, paying tribute to the work of Engender in advancing women’s rights over the past quarter of a century.

The CEDAW shadow report for Scotland highlights the negative impacts of austerity on women and the particular discrimination and disadvantage faced by women who experience multiple inequalities.  It sets out key questions for the CEDAW Committee to ask of the UK and Scottish Governments, including around their plans to incorporate CEDAW into Scots law and what they will do to prevent those who have experienced domestic abuse from having to leave their homes.  You can read this full report here: https://www.engender.org.uk/content/publications/Engender-CEDAW-report.pdf

Engender also produced the shadow 4 nations report on CEDAW- you can read this here: https://www.engender.org.uk/content/publications/Eighth-periodic-report-of-the-government-of-the-United-Kingdom-on-measures-taken-to-give-effect-to-CEDAW—four-nations-report.pdf

Engender’s work on CEDAW was funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, one of the UK’s National Human Rights Institutions, but was developed independently.