Scotland’s Women Gather
In partnership with the Scottish Parliament, on Saturday 24th June 2023 we invited hundreds of women from across Scotland to explore taking up space in the world of politics.
61%
of attendees were below the age of 44
43%
were Women of Colour
28%
identified as having a disability or long-term health condition
20%
identified as LGBTQIA+
The Day Included…
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Chamber Session
Participants sat in the seats of decision makers in the chamber to hear moving words of advice and inspiration from the Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone, Talat Yaqoob, and a cross-party panel included Kaukab Stewart MSP, Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP, Tess White MSP, Maggie Chapman MSP and Cllr Hal Osler. To top it off, the Makar Kathleen Jamie performed an especially commissioned poem Her Words, and the Maryhill Integration Network’s Joyous Choir sang from the public gallery! Watch the Chamber session here.
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Workshops
With two round of workshops, one focused on advice for each stage of a political journey and one on intersecting identities and lived experience, attendees were provided the opportunity to meet new organisations, build new networks and gain resources for moving forward with confidence on their political journey.
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Networking
Community is important! So we wanted to provide plenty of opportunities for everyone to socialise, get to know new people and begin to create a supportive community. This included a showcase of incredible organisations working across Scotland to support women in politics in different areas, including COSLA, Engender, BDA Scotland, Young Women’s Movement, 50:50 Parliament, Centenary Action Group and the John Smith Centre.
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Celebration
Alongside lots of learning, this event was a chance to celebrate women’s incredible contributions to culture and political life in Scotland. Therefore we heard from some inspirational women, such as Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees Emma Roddick, who is the youngest MSP to have been elected, and performances from Miss PunnyPennie and Stellar Quines. To top it all off, all-women ceilidh band Danse McCabre played us some live music to close the evening!
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Hybrid hubs
Alongside our in person event in the Scottish Parliament, we held five local hybrid hubs in Aberdeen, Argyll and Bute, Inverclyde, Shetland and Perth and Kinross, as well as inviting people to take part in our online workshop. We’re working on holding more local hubs in the future, so keep an eye out on our newsletters for more information and if you work for a local authority and are interested in being involved, get in touch with our team.
