Championing Change
Advocating for Equality in Scotland’s Media and Cultural Landscapes
About us
Engender is home to Scotland’s first Equal Media and Culture Centre, a hub for research, monitoring and advocacy for equality in the creative and media sectors in Scotland.
Based on the National Advisory Council for Women and Girls’ 2018 recommendation that Scotland should have its own Women in Media Body, Engender received funding for a development project to identify what shape this might take.
Men’s over-representation across the media and creative industries is reflected in widespread stereotyping of women and lack of gender balance in print, on the airwaves and on screen. The portrayal of women across media is damagingly limited, especially for disabled women, minority ethnic women, older women, lesbian, bisexual and trans women.
GUEST POST:
A Culture Act for Scotland by Kathryn Welch
GUEST POST:
Adura Onashile on the lack of mid-career support for women
GUEST POST:
Scots Scriever Taylor Dyson on women's representation in Scots literature
LATEST RESEARCH: From token to transformation
EMCC looks at the impact of Creative Scotland's EDI Action Plan requirement for funded organisations
Our reports
The EMCC researches and publishes reports on gender equality in the arts, culture, media and sports sectors. We also share relevant research from partners and other organisations.
The Equal Media & Culture Centre research the impact of Creative Scotland's EDI Action Plan requirement for funded organisations.
January 2026
Categories: All publications
The Equal Media & Culture Centre for Scotland set out their manifesto asks in the lead up to the 2026 Holyrood elections.
September 2025
Categories: All publications
The Equal Media and Culture Centre for Scotland (EMCC) release a Scotland-specific report into women’s lived experiences of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives in the creative industries. Women working in various sectors across culture – film, television, journalism, theatre and music took part in this study, describing their first-hand accounts of EDI initiatives.
February 2025
Categories: All publications
Engender and the Equal Media and Culture Centre for Scotland's response to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee call for views on its pre-budget scrutiny 2025-26.
August 2024
Categories: All publications
Recent news
GUEST POST: A Culture Act for Scotland by Kathryn Welch
Jul 22, 2026: co-Director of Culture Counts, Kathryn Welch, reflects on their campaign for a Culture Act so far.
GUEST POST: Adura Onashile on the lack of mid-career support for women
Jul 2, 2026: Actor, writer and director Adura Onashile on the lack of mid career opportunites for women in the performing arts
GUEST POST: Scots Scriever Taylor Dyson on women’s representation in Scots literature
Jun 11, 2026: Scots Scriever Taylor Dyson on embracin' yer Scots
How diverse is Scotland’s new parliament?
May 13, 2026: We take a look at the overall diversity of Scotland's newly elected MSPs
GUEST POST: Louise Oliver on vanishing cultural spaces
Apr 27, 2026: Guest post: Louise Oliver on the precarity of cultural spaces and the impact on women.
International Women’s Day and our manifesto for a fairer future
Mar 5, 2026: EMCC reflect on our manifesto this International Women's Day
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