Today’s announcement is a significant victory for us & all the women, organisations & activists who have stood shoulder to shoulder with us over the last decade to fight for a social security system that works for women, not against them.

This should mean also scrapping the benefit cap alongside abolishing the two-child limit, as doing so would increase the number of children impacted to 400,000 children lifted out of poverty in the UK, & 950,000 children living in less deep poverty.

The limit is a form of sexist discrimination in social security design, which was recognised by the UN CEDAW Committee in its most recent examination of the UK.

Today’s announcement is a welcome first step toward reversing years of harm. Scrapping the limit provides an opportunity to address the poverty imposed on women & their families as a direct result of this misogynistic, punitive policy.

Since 2017, Engender & other women’s, anti-poverty & equalities orgs have been calling for the limit to be removed, highlighting how it systematically discriminates against women, forcing them to justify their reproductive choices & disclose traumatic experiences to access basic social security.

If you’ve been affected by gender-based violence, you are not alone: support is available from @scotwomensaid.bsky.social, @rapecrisisscot.bsky.social & local services near you.

We’re calling on political parties & the UK Government to embed meaningful change in selection & election processes to see gender equal representation become a reality at future elections.

🔗 Find out more & read the full report here: www.engender.org.uk/news/blog/en...

The evidence is clear: PAMs work, but only when applied consistently, strategically & with a commitment to intersectionality, focusing on Black & minority ethnic, disabled & young women.

One interviewee said, "It’s almost as if a [white] man has a clear lane, women, & people from different racial backgrounds, orientations, different genders, we’d all come together in the one lane competing against each other. Whereas the [white] man has a lane of his own to sail right through.”

🔸 Quotas & positive action measures (PAMs) are effective
🔹 No party has achieved gender parity across all levels of government
🔸Parties should commit to long-term strategies for positive action in elections
🔹 UK Gov needs to enact Section 106 of the Equality Act to make candidate diversity available

The political arena is becoming increasingly hostile, especially for women & marginalised women, & our new report highlights the barriers & challenges women face when participating in politics.

➡️ See the full report with vital recommendations for action here: www.engender.org.uk/news/blog/en...

We stand in solidarity with racialised & minority communities who are being made to feel unsafe by far-right protests, hate speech & incitement of violence here in Scotland.

Find out more & sign the letter here: actionnetwork.org/petitions/wo...

Standing up for women’s rights means rejecting racism & division. It means fighting for investment in childcare, housing, education, social security & community resources: the things that genuinely improve women’s lives.

The weaponisation of women’s rights & safety to demonise minorities does nothing to keep women safe. Instead, it distracts from the urgent political action needed to tackle men’s violence against women & girls.

The false & racist narratives promoted by the far-right ignore the fact that violence against women & girls is most commonly perpetrated by someone close to the victim.