ACTIVELY ENGAGING YOUNG WOMEN IN POLITICS
AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAMME AT THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ACTIVELY SEEKS TO ENGAGE YOUNG WOMEN IN POLITICS The Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament writes about an innovative programme that is addressing the under-representation of young women in politics in Scotland. I would like to go into more detail about this particular innovative programme which I have had the great honour of chairing for the last 3 years. Working with YWCA Scotland - the Young Women’s Movement, the Scottish Parliament designed and delivered a leadership programme for young women. Since 2017 participants from a range of diverse communities have been coming together in the Scottish Parliament to form their own Committee and run an inquiry, just like a Committee of MSPs, on an issue of their choice. Since 2017 they have carried out investigations into sexual harassment in schools, access to sport and physical activity and the transition from education to employment for young women from ethnic minorities.1 Sitting in one of the Parliament’s Committee meeting room, in a formal committee meeting format, chaired by myself, the participants take evidence and question experts and Scottish Government officials as part of their inquiry. They are supported by Parliamentary Clerks and work with engagement and social media staff. They carry out engagement work across Scotland and produce reports (again with the support and guidance of Clerks) with recommendations on how policy can be improved to create change for young women living in Scotland.
Left: The Deputy Presiding Officer speaks to students at a CPA Roadshow for young people in Scotland.
Hon. Linda Fabiani, MSP is the Deputy Presiding Officer in the Scottish
Parliament. She was first elected in 1999 as the MSP for Central Scotland (Region) before being re-elected in 2011 as the constituency Member for East Kilbride.
82 | The Parliamentarian | 2021: Issue One | 100 years of publishing
Reference: 1 www.parliament.scot/gettinginvolved/110670.aspx
The Young Women Lead (YWL) programme was created from a need to address the under-representation of young women in politics in Scotland. Increasing women’s representation was an issue which the Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer, Rt Hon. Ken Macintosh MSP, drew attention to in a previous article for The Parliamentarian in 2019 to commemorate this Parliament’s 20th anniversary.
