PRESS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women 5050 welcome the 5050 by 2020 pledge, but change starts from within.
The First Minister’s pledge today of a 50/50 gender equality split by 2020 on public, private and third sector boards, has been warmly welcomed by women 5050, the campaign for 50% representation of women in councils, in Scottish Parliament and on public boards. But emphasise, that encouragement of the pledge will only be taken seriously if the parliament pushing it reflects the same ideals and encouraged Nicola Sturgeon to sign up to the campaign.
Talat Yaqoob, feminist activist and steering group member for Women 5050 said:
“it’s clear that the First Minister takes women’s representation seriously, the pledge is of course, an illustration of that, however there is a difference in a pledge and taking direct action. The Women 5050 campaign is seeking change across Scotland’s public life, that must include the Scottish Government and our council chambers, let’s lead by example. Seeing the First Minister support women 5050 would be a sure sign of the commitment to gender equality”.
Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green Party MSP said:
“We should applaud the First Minister on setting this challenge to the private, public and third sector boards in Scotland. We should now set the same challenge to national and local government representation.”
“In creating a fair gender split, we have to practice what we preach and set ourselves the same challenge at all levels of representation. This is a first step and the next is signing up to the Women 5050 campaign.”
…ends