• Raising awareness of the benefits of removing gender constraints and adopting family friendly policies within organisations, and increasing the number of organisations implementing such policies

• The production, in conjunction with the STUC and DTI, of ‘work-life balance’ guidelines (416kb pdf) for the voluntary sector, as part of the ‘Working Together’ project

• Networking and building relationships with various women’s organisations and bodies, and involvement in research into women’s issues through the Women’s Issues Research Advisory Group (WIRAG)

• Promotion of all of the above strands of work through the organisation of various events including equality forums, training events and conferences

Resources

Multiple Discrimination and Gender Equality. SCVO Equalities Briefing - October 2005

Working Together – guidelines and briefings on work-life balance http://www.scvo.org.uk/working_together/default.html

Contacts

Engender www.engender.org.uk
An information, research and networking organisation for women in Scotland, working with other groups locally and internationally to improve women’s lives and increase their power and influence. Website offers information of training, publications, events, noticeboard, links and more

Equal Opportunities Commission www.eoc.org.uk
This site offers useful fact sheets on legal issues relating to sex discrimination, business benefits of non-sex discrimination and related employment issues e.g. flexi-time, child care provision, job share etc

Fairplay www.fairplayscotland.com
Fairplay exists to increase opportunities for women to participate in the labour market in a competitive and socially inclusive economy by promoting best practice in equal opportunities. The website contains relevant publications, employers advice, noticeboard, links and much more. 

Gender and Constitutional Change www.pol.ed.ac.uk/gcc/
A joint project between the University of Edinburgh and Queen’s University, Belfast. Research teams are looking in detail at the impact of gender on the process of constitutional change.

Glasgow Women’s Library www.womens-library.org.uk
Glasgow Women’s Library is a library of information for and about women, a reference and lending library, an archive and resource centre. The site contains information on their services – research consultancy, newspaper cuttings, women at work – a database and forthcoming publication of women who have skills, services and businesses in Scotland, and online copy of their newsletter.

Quine Online www.quine.org.uk 
Online magazine for the women of Scotland with sports, activism, events and politics. Lots of links to other useful sites/research

Women and Equality Unit www.womens-unit.gov.uk
Provides information on government and gender, gender mainstreaming; gender pay gap, domestic violence, delivering public services, women’s representation in Parliament, sex discrimination, sexual orientation, women’s representation in Parliament, delivering public services etc.

Women’s National Commission www.thewnc.org.uk
The official, independent, advisory body giving the views of women to the Government. It is the only organisation of this kind in the UK. It ensures that women’s views are taken into account by the Government and are heard in public debate. Download “Future Female” a joint report with the Future Foundation on key trends for the future and how these will affect women.

Women in Black www.wibs.org.uk
This is the site of the Scottish branch of Women in Black “a network of women world-wide committed to peace with justice and opposed to war and other forms of violence. We wear black to mourn all victims of war, the destruction of people and of nature. We aim to educate, inform and influence public opinion, to make war and unthinkable option. Women in Black was established by Palestinian and Israeli women in 1988”.

BRIDGE www.ids.ac.uk/bridge/
BRIDGE supports gender and development mainstreaming efforts by bridging the gaps between theory, policy and practice with accessible gender information. Includes GENIE (gender information exchange), a fast route to gender mainstreaming resources from donor agencies, and Siyanda, a resource of materials to support those working towards gender equality in development.

European Women’s Lobby www.womenlobby.org
The largest co-ordinating body of national and European non-governmental women’s organisations in the European Union. The EWL’s goal is to achieve equality of women and men in Europe and to serve as a link between political decision–makers and women’s organisations at EU level. Website allows access to European policies on gender. 

Commonwealth Secretariat’s Gender unit www.thecommonwealth.org/gender
Offers a series of guides and manuals on gender mainstreaming, system reference manuals for governments and other stakeholders – e.g. using gender sensitive indicators, gender mainstreaming in information and communications, gender  mainstreaming in development planning

The Amazone Documentation Centre www.amazone.be/documentation_home.html
Established in 1995. Its main tasks are to collect documentation on the equal opportunities policy of the European Union and different international institutions, to disseminate information by way of databases, to relay information and act as a forum for anyone who is looking for information on emancipation and equal opportunities.