So last night the group Engender used some very intemperate language about women who want to remind politicians about our existing rights and maybe have a meeting about it.’ It made me wonder what/ who Engender is so I had a look at their filed reports and accounts. Thread:
There’s nothing illegal, immoral, nefarious or shocking to be found here so don’t get too excited. Nor is there a thrilling detective story; it’s all public info at Companies House and their website.
‘Engender is Scotland’s feminist organisation’. That's bold.
‘Engender is Scotland’s feminist organisation’. That's bold.
‘We rely on membership and donations..’ but 1) individual membership is effectively free 2) ‘we are not currently accepting new members’ [of organisations or affiliates]. In 2017/18 donations and membership are just under 2% of overall incoming funds.
(Oddly, you have to go into the notes to find that £300,800 is actually Scotgov grant, NOT a donation as it is categorised in the SOFA). SG grants are 89% of Incoming. SG+Lottery+EHRC make up over 95% of incoming
Of the Scot Gov grant a fair chunk (228,350) is Unrestricted, meaning the granter is not looking for any particular output in any particular timeframe for their money. They were incorporated in 2005; the then Scottish Executive gave them 60,000 in 2006, and more every year since.
The people involved ( 12 Trustees, 6/7 employees) are all very busy people, who seem to work very hard. What’s interesting is what *else* they do. In the Trustees and staff you will find they are also trustees and staff and volunteers of>>
Scottish Refugee Council, Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations, Scottish Human Rights Commission,Scottish Women's Budget Group, Women for Independence,Health and Social Care Alliance, Carers Trust,Rape Crisis Scotland, First Minister's Advisory Council for Women & Girls >>
>> sportsscotland', Women’s Equality Steering Group, Woman’s Aid and many other named and unnamed charities and campaigns. [Side note: women really do a lot of unpaid work, don’t they?].
So what do they do? As always the report & website is jargon-y. Boils down to: develop, review and influence policy. Advise other groups. Network, network (they really do network). Consult (but who?) for policy. Examine and critique others’ policy.
And they do some training, and ‘help you met your equality aims’ and give out some free crib sheets to help groups set up and run meetings.
Conclusion: this group is developing and influencing and, to an extent, enforcing policy. For, and paid by, ScotGov. It is, in effect, ScotGov's sub-contracted feminism unit. Should the government have a feminism unit? If so, which branch of feminist thought should it hold?
Shorter conclusion: Engender is not a women’s organisation in the sense that they and others imply, and they don’t represent me (or you). Engender will not lobby or challenge the Government. It is part of the government.
Second conclusion: Those 101 charities that all take the same ‘’inclusive" line? They’re not *just* all networking and consulting on the subject, nor *just* falling in because they need to toe the funding line. They agree because to a huge extent THEY ARE ALL THE SAME PEOPLE.
paging @ForwomenScot, and @LucyHunterB might be interested (though I expect she already knows all this).
