A NEW report examining the under-representation of young women in Scottish politics has called for improvements to safeguarding to protect women from hate speech and harassment.
The Young Women’s Movement – Scotland’s national organisation for young women and girls’ leadership and rights – produced the Young Women Lead report with the Scottish Parliament.
It has identified problems which affect young women’s trust in societal systems such as education, healthcare, justice and politics – such as a lack of support mechanisms for gender-based violence in schools and a perceived lack of accountability for those in power which de-incentivises them from advocating in young women’s interests.
The report calls for improvements to safeguarding mechanisms for young women in public platforms to protect them from hate speech, misogynistic harassment and grooming, as well as for more accessible ways for young women to engage with their elected representatives.
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Campaigners have also insisted there must be better schooling about how the country’s systems of democracy work and mentorship opportunities offered up for young women to safely enter politics and other positions of power, as well as better regulation against misinformation online.
Jenni Snell, CEO of The Young Women’s Movement, said: “Young women are under-represented across the board in Scottish politics.
“This lack of representation for young women, especially those with compounding inequalities, makes it harder for them to find their place in public life.
“It is vital to our society’s wellbeing that the voices of all demographics are equally heard and valued. A huge thank you to this year’s Young Women Lead cohort for their work on this important topic, and to Scottish Parliament for their support.”
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The findings of Young Women Lead 2024 have influenced The Young Women’s Movement’s upcoming Status of Young Women in Scotland research, which will focus on young women’s rights in Scotland.
It comes after the First Minister’s announcement of phase 2 of Democracy Matters at the 2024 COSLA Conference last week, a report which explores people’s engagement with politics in Scotland, looking at this topic with a particular focus on young women’s needs.
Muminah Koleoso, Young Women Lead participant, said: “Young Women Lead has highlighted the power that every voice, vote and individual holds in the community and wider society, especially as young women.
“It’s empowering to know that we can use our voices to create meaningful change.”
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