Hansard

How do I follow all those wonderful speeches? The Parliament is always at its best when it comes together and sticks up for something that it believes in. People who have been here for 20 years will know that the Parliament has always been the place to watch and the place to lead on women’s equality. I am very pleased to have led the debate and to have heard all the contributions.

The journey in support of women’s rights and empowerment did not begin at the conference in Beijing in 1995—and it certainly did not end there—but it was a significant milestone. It showed what could be possible when civil society, grass-roots activists and Governments worked together on a common cause. The resulting “Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action” remains one of the principal guiding documents for advancing women’s rights and realising equality.

In her contribution, Elaine Smith said that women’s equality rights are “real” and “urgent”. I could not agree with her more. I am incredibly grateful for the contributions from across the chamber. I will deal with some of the key points that came up in the debate. Many points were made, and I have pages and pages of notes about what members were interested in.

A key issue that was raised was how we tackle violence against women and how we will not all be equal until we deal with that. I hope that we will make that difference through the work that we are taking forward through the equally safe strategy in the Parliament, with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, in schools and in workplaces. However, it will take more than legislation to fix the problem, no matter how proud we are of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018; it also will take cultural change. I hope that all the work that I have mentioned will make that difference.

Patrick Harvie, Sarah Boyack, Maurice Corry and a number of others raised issues relating to intersectionality and how incredibly important that is. We have to ensure that all our work in the Parliament—whether it relates to black and ethnic minority women, women with disabilities or people across the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities—reflects that intersectional approach. As Patrick Harvie said, we are not a homogeneous group; we all have different characteristics. We should all reflect on that.

Sandra White gave an impassioned speech, as she always does, about equal pay. She will know that, as a lowly Unison rep in Glasgow, I fought hard against the reforms to workforce pay and benefits. I was happy that there was such a good resolution, but it came too late in the day for some.

There is an incredible story of a woman I met a few weeks ago at the funeral of a colleague I had worked with when they were a Unison workforce terms and conditions officer. She had got back £28,000 from her equal pay claim. She said, “Do you know what that meant for me?” I said, “Tell me,” and she said, “I was able to walk away from the terrible relationship I was in.” She had been abused financially and physically, and that was her ticket to freedom. We should never underestimate the difference that having financial security can make to somebody’s life.

We have talked a lot today about issues relating to women’s health, and I hope that we can work together, through the women’s health plan, on access to reproductive rights.

Pauline McNeill said:

“until we are safe, we will not be equal.”

I will use that watchword everywhere I go now. If I get the opportunity, I will credit her with the phrase, but I might just steal it and use it myself. She is absolutely right.

I am grateful to all the organisations and individuals who have done their bit for gender equality over many years, both inside and outside the Parliament and across civic society and our charity sector. We all probably have lots of experience of that work.

I find international women’s day to be an uplifting day. It comes down to the feeling of solidarity that it evokes and the focus that it gives to celebrating women and their achievements. We have heard about many of them today, including Greta and Malala—women who are known by their first names. Michelle Ballantyne mentioned meeting 17 women, and Patrick Harvie, Rona Mackay, Alex Cole-Hamilton and Sarah Boyack all mentioned their sheroes. Rona Mackay mentioned a particular favourite of mine—Katherine Johnson. She also mentioned the #MeToo movement, Marsha Scott, and, more important, those everyday heroes—the women who do their bit every single day.

We are talking about women and girls who are standing up, speaking out, breaking the mould, flouting stereotypes, challenging the status quo and embodying the idea of—this is the term that is used for us now—“dangerous women”. We are also talking about women and girls who are carers, workers, students and activists. Every single one of them is incredibly important.

When people spend five minutes with the young women I have met in the Parliament Project, the Scottish Women’s Convention and the young women lead programme—my goodness—they know that our future is in good hands.

I am incredibly privileged to hold this ministerial role, because it brings me into contact with so many inspirational people—women—from all walks of life and at all stages of life. I am talking about women who are courageous and passionate about tackling issues that are important to them and their communities, including gender equality and other issues.

I saw that passion at the Feisty Women conference in Dundee just last Saturday. I saw that care, compassion and kindness at the Edinburgh Rape Crisis centre that I visited last week. I saw that activism at the national advisory council on women and girls circle event just a few weeks ago. I felt the generosity of the shared experience from the FGM activists and others who have helped me on my work on the Female Genital Mutilation (Protection and Guidance) (Scotland) Bill. I have already mentioned what I feel about the young women in the young women lead programme.

On Saturday, the Parliament will be a joyful place—not that it is not always a joyful place, but it will be filled to the gunnels by women, because the annual Scottish Women’s Convention international women’s day event will be taking place here.

I thank the convention for the work that it has done over the past 20-odd years. I especially thank one of my personal sheroes, Agnes Tolmie—many in the chamber will know who she is. During this annual event, women from communities across Scotland fill the chamber. There is so much energy that one cannot help but feel hopeful and inspired. I would like there to be more diverse women in the chamber, and at that event, too. The intersectional approach that we have all spoken about is incredibly important in that regard.

For me, international women’s day belongs to all those women. Alex Cole-Hamilton mentioned his great-aunt Joan. What a wonderful story—but what a sad end. What could she have achieved if she had been with us that bit longer?

On Friday, I will be with South Lanarkshire Council’s cross-party women’s group, hosting an international women’s day event. It is not just national activism, but local activism that inspires me.

It is absolutely right that we use international women’s day to acknowledge where we need to take action that takes us towards gender equality, and to reaffirm our commitment to taking that action. Johann Lamont told us about the legacy of the women’s movement—the women who have changed the world—and how we should draw on that legacy to make improvements for the future.

I am also clear that we have to do more to understand the situation, that we must reflect on our policies and strategies, and that we must tackle the intersectional discrimination and inequality that women and girls face. I hope that the chief statistician’s work on sex and data will be welcomed by many in the chamber, especially Elaine Smith, who spoke specifically about that issue.

We will not have achieved gender equality until all women and girls are equal. Some 25 years on from Beijing, we can be proud of a lot in Scotland. It is important to celebrate the progress that we have made and continue to make. However, we must ensure that, during the next 25 years, we not only fiercely guard the progress that has been made but strive to keep on making progress towards gender equality.

Members raised a couple of issues with me about women in STEM. I hope that they will welcome the gender champions work that is being done for women in STEM. On the Deputy First Minister’s gender equality task force in education and learning, I have to say that Razannah Hussain is a formidable co-chair and will keep him right in every way. A lot of work is being done in STEM.

On the women in agricultural task force, I had the great joy of launching the programmes at the Royal Highland show last year with a group of amazing women farmers. I have recently been invited along to a dairy farm in my constituency that is run by a young woman. She also has two wee kids—I do not know how she does it. I will be really keen to see how the agri task force is supporting her in her work.

We have had a fantastic debate. This year’s theme was each for equal, and we should all take our #EachforEqual photographs in order to send that solidarity out. The theme clearly reminds us that we all have a part to play.

I whole-heartedly agree with Malala, who says:

“We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.”

I look forward to working with everyone across the chamber to advance this work and to ensure that each for equal becomes a reality.