When deciding whether to stand for election back in 2016, it was a group made up entirely of men who convinced me to go for it. Had they not done so, I would never have become the only female Scottish Conservative MP to be elected a year later. My experience highlighted the crucial role men play when it comes to levelling the gender playing field. Without them, it simply can’t and won’t happen.

I was therefore disappointed when I heard about the Scottish Parliament’s new gender-sensitive advisory group. It comprises a representative from every major political party in Scotland, to oversee the delivery of recommendations to improve women’s representation in parliament. And each party has fallen into the trap of nominating a woman to sit on the board.

One of the group’s core recommendations is to eradicate single-sex parliamentary committees. Yet, here we have a ten-strong panel of precisely that. It’s frustrating because no other area of inequality would appoint a group featuring only those discriminated against. But women are regularly pigeon-holed as the only experts on creating a more representative parliament.

I firmly believe the success of this group, or indeed any group seeking to advance gender equality, will be compromised if it doesn’t open the door to male voices. Repeated research shows that organisations with the most diverse teams deliver the very best outcomes. They hold a broader depth and greater breadth of wisdom, experience, and most importantly, different perspectives that generate better discussions – and improved results.

The committee is looking to explore the issue of job-sharing and improving family-friendly practises, but it feels like these are already being assigned as female-issues. Of course, any new measures would support men too, providing much-needed balance and support with adjusting attitudes, given the majority of women continue to take on the role of primary care-givers. Not including men in the talks reinforces the stereotypes which led us here in the first place.

Further surveys show when it comes to matters like closing the gender pay gap and improving female representation in leading positions, men want to be involved. They understand it’s the right thing to do, and of course want to see greater opportunities for their families, colleagues and future generations. They, too, recognise there is both a moral and economic argument for gender equality.

Getting male input to this specific Scottish Parliament process will bring valuable contributions that would otherwise be lost, eroding some unconscious bias that still exists around women in the workplace. The establishing of this advisory group is undoubtedly a positive step led by the Presiding Officer.

It seeks to tackle a number of longstanding problems that can only be addressed by reforming our democratic institutions to pave the path for a more inclusive workplace for current and future MSPs. But, in my view, the all-female panel is a mis-step, and implies that gender discrimination is only a problem for the 50 per cent of the population it affects.

Shifting the dial requires the collective effort of both men and women, and I regrettably don’t believe this very well-intentioned area of work will achieve its desired results if half the team is sitting on the sidelines.

Kirstene Hair is director of Empower Coaching and a former MP for Angus

Scottish Parliament’s new gender-sensitive advisory group has no men – Kirstene Hair

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