Engender 2023 Sex and Power Report

Engender's 2023 Sex and Power Report reveals the truth behind the March of Progress.

Engender is a Scottish, feminist policy organisation whose vision is: for a Scotland where men and women are equal. With equal opportunities and provisions, equal access to resources, and are equally safe. Engender have worked in Scotland for 25 years to empower women and evoke change. The 2023 Sex and Power Report sparked thought among the ALLIANCE as the feminist ‘March of Progress’ can be discussed and we can understand if the inequalities between genders are actually reducing. And, crucially, if this change is enough.

Engender’s report examines a range of areas across all areas of public life, involving the arts, politics, sport and business and how the glass ceiling may still be in effect in some professions – we support Engender’s statement that this “paints a concerning picture”.

The report showed that in 3381 positions of power, across Scotland’s top professions, almost two thirds of these positions were held by men, and only 36% of these roles were held by females, this is an evident case of misrepresentation as 51% of Scotland’s population is female. One might wonder where the missing 15% is…

Engender’s previous Sex & Power reports in 2017 and 2020 looked to track progress towards gender equality over time. The research compiled in 2023 has found evidence of some improvement in areas including political institutions, within the health sector and limited areas across media and culture. However, the rate of change remains disappointingly slow.

Equality in Health and Social Care

Inequality is strong within the Health and Social Care system, despite women having additional needs and health issues, including childbirth, menstruation etc.

A stark gender gap across staff grades within the organisation shows that whilst 52% of health boards are led by male chief executives, only 23% of the overall NHS Scotland workforce are men.

“Health and social care services, and decisions over how they are run, have a major
impact on women. Women have distinct health needs and experience gendered
health inequalities. The barriers that diverse groups of women face to accessing
appropriate healthcare are increasingly documented, including for LGBTI women,
Black and minority ethnic women, disabled women, refugee and asylum-seeking
women, women with experience of gender-based violence, and unpaid carer”

Engender 2023 Sex and Power Report

Equality in Businesses

Statistics from Engender’s 2017 report show that a frightening amount of misrepresentation was rife in Scottish institutions, businesses and companies.

• Misrepresentation is clear in the 2017 report which showed, 100% of CEOs of ‘Scotland’s top businesses’ were male. Meaning 0% of the 52% female population in Scotland in 2017 were CEOs.
• Some improvement has been achieved, and in 2023, now 7% of CEOs of ‘Scotland’s top businesses’ are female. However, this figure is still unjustifiably low.

Equality in the Government

On a more positive note, in 2023, statistical equity has been reached in areas of the Scottish Government:

• 50% of government ministers are female.
• But, only 35% of government special advisors are women, meaning decisions governed by the most influential Scottish bodies are usually governed by men.

Equality in the Media

Similarly, the way women are portrayed in the media is generally written by men, with only 17.6% of major news writers being female, inequality in the media is clear.

“Women are more likely to be described in terms of their age and family status, while the saturation of sexualised imagery, gendered stereotypes, and harmful and racist beauty standards objectify and commodify women’s bodies. This shapes sexist perceptions of women’s value, negatively impacting on women and girls’ body image, self-worth and health.”

Engender 2023 Sex and Power Report

Overall

Overall, Engender’s 2023 Sex and Power Report is a snapshot of men’s over-representation in positions
of power and influence in Scotland in 2023. The data compiled in the report means that 472 women remain ‘missing’ from leadership roles across politics, the public sector, media, culture, and business in
Scotland. This isn’t good enough.

The Academy’s Courageous Leadership Series

The ALLIANCE would like to promote the Academy’s Courageous Leadership series.

Courageous Leadership is a series of written pieces and/or podcasts on leadership across health and social care in Scotland. It outlines leadership styles and lessons and aims for the future across the sector, giving personal accounts of what courageous leadership means. The aim of the project is to raise the profile of leadership in health and social care across Scotland to inspire, spark discussion and share information on leadership styles.  

Relevant Links to the Engender Report

COVERb copy (engender.org.uk)

Participants sought for research on discrimination and the impact to young women’s health – Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (alliance-scotland.org.uk)

Courageous Leadership – Exploring being a young third sector leader and activist with Kayla-Megan Burns – ALLIANCE Live | Podcast on Spotify

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