Inside Holyrood: Despite the 'heart-breaking' news from Ukraine MSP Rhoda Grant says she has been moved by the 'kindness of people of the Highlands and Islands' in its response to calls for help
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The news has been hard to deal with this month with events in Ukraine but yet I find myself moved by the kindness of people of the Highlands and Islands.
Amongst the heart-breaking stories of children singing in bunkers and families being separated, there are stories of bravery and compassion. I also have to pay tribute to the journalists who are on our TV screens every night, putting their own lives at risk so that we are told of what is happening.
Sometimes their reporting is very difficult to hear. There are also acts of kindness close to home, stories of Highlanders donating food, hygiene products and clothes. Let us hope that this war comes to an end soon and that families are reunited and can go about their lives unhindered.
Last week we celebrated International Women’s Day and this year’s theme was “break the bias”. The very foundation of discrimination against women begins with a negative bias, whether in the workplace or at the home, in wider society or even in the health service.
I recently approached the Lord Advocate to push for an increase in virtual trials where domestic abuse is involved. Virtual domestic abuse trials would be especially helpful in rural areas, where public transport is limited and the abuser and their ex-partner often use the same public transport to reach court.
This logistical issue discourages victims of domestic abuse from giving evidence and it could be made less traumatic if trails were moved to a virtual platform.
Women also face inequality with regard to health services, there are campaigns in both Caithness and Moray to have maternity services re-instated. If men gave birth, would they be expected to travel 100 miles in an ambulance, in labour? I really do not think so.
Women’s health concerns are taken less seriously, they have been ignored and belittled, this is especially the case with gynaecological complaints. I hear harrowing experiences of endometriosis sufferers and the length of time that these women wait for a diagnosis. Women have been told that it is all in their heads.
These are just three examples where women have been impacted locally because of bias and it is something I’m incredibly passionate about addressing.
Lastly I read last week that Inverness College UHI have launched a new free breakfast club for students to tackle the poverty crisis. I believe this is one of only a handful of college breakfast clubs in Scotland.
Although its heart breaking that schemes like this one need to be launched, I’m glad to see that Inverness College UHI are taking the initiative and trying to tackle it.
It is because of situation such as this that I am determined to bring forward a Bill that brings into reality our human right to food.
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