The First Minister confirmed the new Criminal Justice Reform Bill, due to be introduced at Holyrood before the summer, would include the measure.

The legislation will propose "far-reaching reforms" to the criminal justice system, Ms Sturgeon promised, including scrapping the controversial not proven verdict.

She told MSPs it would also seek to address the "barriers" women face as part of the justice process.

Nicola Sturgeon speaks on International Women's Day. Picture: Kirsty Anderson

She said "one especially intrusive aspect of criminal procedure arises when requests are made to lead evidence about a victim's sexual history – or so-called bad character".

Ms Sturgeon added: "The forthcoming Bill will propose that women in these circumstances have access to free, independent legal representation." She said there was "still too much evidence that the criminal justice system is failing too many victims of sexual crime, and of course most of them are women".

Current safeguards, known as rape shield laws, were designed to prevent victims being forced to give evidence about their previous sexual behaviour - but there are about 350 applications made to the High Court each year for exemptions to this.

Ms Sturgeon, who is stepping down as First Minister later this month, insisted: "We do have a duty to address systemic barriers to justice, and the many barriers women face at each stage of a criminal justice process that was designed by men and, to a very significant extent, designed for men.

"I won't be in Government when Parliament considers this Bill, but I will be a strong advocate for it from the backbenches."

Labour MSP Pauline McNeill said her party "wholeheartedly" backs the changes.

She said: "Labour do support it and we welcome the Government bringing it forward."

Ms Sturgeon also used Holyrood's annual International Women's Day debate to announce support for a specialist law clinic at Glasgow University, which will be the first of its kind in Scotland offering services to victims of sexual offences from across the country.

The new centre will be named after Emma Ritch, the former head of campaign group Engender Scotland who died in 2021.

Ms Sturgeon told MSPs there is "a huge amount still to do to fully win gender equality".

She added that while in some respects the world is a better place than when she started her career in politics, it is also a "harsher and more hostile place for girls and young women".

"Abuse, harassment, sexual threats and violence are not new phenomenon but sadly the modern world offers more opportunities for that kind of behaviour to reach and to harm women," Ms Sturgeon said.

"We must tackle that, not just for women's sake but for the sake of society as a whole, which needs the talent of all of our population to thrive and to prosper."

Nicola Sturgeon announces sex crime victims will have free access to lawyer for 'intrusive' questioning