School of Social and Political Science

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School of Social and Political Science (SPS) academics Professor Meryl Kenny and Professor Sarah Childs have worked with the Scottish Parliament on a guide that aims to improve equal participation and representation of women in parliaments around the world. 

The guide, titled ‘Gender Sensitising Parliaments: A Practical Guide’, outlines core principles and practices of a gender-sensitive parliament and sets out a six-step process to evaluate and enhance gender sensitivity in parliaments. It also highlights the importance of a broad understanding of gender sensitivity, enthusiastic leadership, collaborative ethos, robust research, and institutional support in working towards equal participation and representation in parliaments. 

Professor Childs and Professor Kenny, who work in the Politics and International Relations subject area at SPS, prepared the guide on behalf of the Scottish Parliament Gender Sensitive Parliament Advisory Group. The guide’s development arose from a Scottish Parliament audit, ‘A Parliament for All’. This recommended a package of changes that were designed to strengthen equal representation and participation of women, and the mainstreaming of gender equality across the Parliament’s work, which the Scottish Parliament is working towards implementing.  

Professor Childs said: “More and more parliaments are undertaking gender-sensitive audits. This can only be a good thing. This guide provides lessons learned from the Scottish Parliament audit, which can help showcase why it matters, and how to undertake, a gender-sensitive audit. We hope that it will encourage even more parliaments to embrace the principle and practices of gender-sensitising parliaments.” 

Professor Kenny said: “Scotland is one of an increasing number of countries around the world committed to reforms that will gender sensitise its parliament. This guide takes this ongoing work forward by sharing the Scottish Parliament’s experiences, and offering a practical route map to gender sensitising a parliament on the ground. A parliament that is inclusive of and responsive to women, in all their diversity, is a more representative and effective parliament.” 

Read 'Gender Sensitising Parliaments: A Practical Guide' here.