THE SNP has hit back at claims it is not doing enough to help women in the workplace.
Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, accused Nicola Sturgeon of doing too little to close the pay gap between men and women and get female workers into traditionally male-dominated jobs.
In an interview with The Herald this week, she said it was "not enough" simply to have a few high profile women in positions of power.
But an SNP spokeswoman said: "The SNP has set out an ambitious vision that will see us build on the progress we have made to tackle gender inequality – including backing female entrepreneurs, supporting girls and women into STEM careers, extending free childcare to 30 hours a week, establishing an Advisory Council on women and girls and importantly looking at what action we can take where local authorities have failed to settle equal pay cases."
So-called "STEM careers" are jobs requiring qualifications in science, technology, engineering and maths.
Ms Dugdale warned against complacency in tackling gender inequality as she set out her party's plans to "deliver for women".
Labour's manifesto will include a commitment to set up a commission to address occupational segregation in the workplace.
If elected on May 5, the party would also appoint a cabinet secretary for equalities to oversee efforts to get more women into male-dominated roles.
Labour would introduce a Gender Equality Bill, back efforts on equal pay for women and deliver gender balance on the boards of public bodies.
In her Herald interview, Ms Dugdale said: "We have to be careful in Scotland not to be complacent just because we have three party leaders who are women.
"That in and of itself does not deliver for working-class women who feel the pain of the cuts, who see the reality of the pay gap in their pay cheque every week.
"I want to use the voice I have and the power I have to actually deliver for women, because being in that position of power on its own is not enough."
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