Revealed: Backers of SNP gender Bill are funded by ... the SNP Government

FIVE organisations which wrote to the United Nations objecting to criticisms of the SNP’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill have received Scottish Government funding.

The Bill, which will make it easier for people to legally change gender without medical diagnosis, is making its way through the Scottish parliament.

It has prompted strong criticism that it erodes women’s rights – author JK Rowling supported a protest rally against the planned legislation in October by wearing a T-shirt calling Nicola Sturgeon a ‘destroyer of women’s rights’.

In a letter to the Government, UN special rapporteur Reem Alsalem warned of potential violence against women and girls as a result of the Bill, stating it ‘presents potential risks to the safety of women in all their diversity’. Six organisations hit back, signing a letter disagreeing with Ms Alsalem’s concerns.

The groups said they were ‘surprised and disappointed’ the UN official’s letter was sent ‘without consultation with human rights groups’ in Scotland.

However, it can be disclosed that five of the signatories recently received funding from the SNP Government.

A Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Conservatives shows that in 2020-21, Engender received £365,452 such funding, while annual reports indicate that Rape Crisis Scotland received £244,000 in SNP Government

core funding in 2020/21. The Conservatives found that Scottish Women’s Aid and JustRight Scotland also received unspecified amounts of Government aid.

A fifth group, the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre, is a collaboration between Rape Crisis Scotland, JustRight Scotland and the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic. Of the six signatories, only Amnesty International did not accept Scottish Government funding.

Scottish Conservative equalities spokesman Rachael Hamilton said: ‘While I’m sure that the organisations expressed their sincerely held views, their letter is clearly not equal to the evidence of an independent expert like Ms Alsalem.

‘The SNP must not attempt to use

‘The rights and safety of women are at stake’

the support of these governmentfunded organisations to reject the UN Special Rapporteur’s concerns over women’s safety out of hand.

‘It is clear that the rights and safety of women and girls are at stake in this debate – and Nicola Sturgeon needs to consider all views, not just those that agree with her narrative.’

The Bill proposes changes to the law including reducing the age, from 18 to 16, which a person must reach before being eligible to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate.

It also proposes that anyone wishing to obtain a GRC must live in their acquired gender for only three months with an additional three months of ‘reflection’, instead of the two years at present required. Applicants would no longer be required to provide a medical diagnosis or evidence to support their application.

A spokesman for Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: ‘The Tories should apologise for this disgraceful smear on some of Scotland’s leading human rights organisations and frontline women’s charities.’

Meanwhile, demonstrators targeted a Primark store in Glasgow yesterday demanding the return of femaleonly changing rooms. Women’s rights groups staged the protest outside the chain’s Argyle Street store, calling for an end to women being forced to share changing rooms with men.