Journalist union calls for stronger approach to preventing racism in print

THE Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) is under pressure to launch an inquiry following an outcry over an “inflammatory” column by a board member.

Following increased drug deaths in Scotland, experts say change is needed

INDEPENDENT drug policy experts have echoed sentiments of Ronnie Cowan MP and former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill this week on the need for an overhaul of drug policy.

Official statistics published this week revealed an increase of drug related deaths in Scotland by 23 per cent since 2015. The figure – 867 deaths in 2016 – stands at more than double the UK as a whole. Over 30 per cent of these were in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and 88 per cent involved heroin or opioids.

East Lothian group ask independence supporters to dust off their dancing shoes

LESLEY Riddoch and Elaine C Smith will join Common Weal East Lothian for a night of dancing and conversation

Scotland’s biggest LGBTI event to take place in Glasgow this weekend

PRIDE festival will bring people together for a day of marching, music, and fairground fun.

The Pride parade has been an annual fixture in Glasgow since 2012, organised by the charity Pride Glasgow to celebrate and promote LGBTI equality.

The march sets off from 12pm at Glasgow Green this Saturday, and the organisers expect this to be their biggest parade yet, with over 90 organisations registered to take part in the march.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has outlined a strategy to close pay gaps 

A REPORT published this week by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) offered six recommendations for the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments on tackling pay inequality.

The EHRC highlighted in a new strategy, called ‘Fair Opportunities for All’, that gaps persist in average hourly income based on gender, disability and ethnicity.

Aiming to promote an equal start for all children, the box includes clothes, nappies, baby care items, a blanket, a mattress and a play mat

CHILDREN’S charities have welcomed the roll out of a ‘baby box’ scheme in Scotland which will see every child born in the country entitled to receive a collection of essential items for a newborn.

Today’s roll-out is inspired by a similar scheme which originated in Finland in 1938, and follows a three month pilot in Clackmannanshire and Orkney earlier this year.

Solidarity will be shown for Charlottesville anti-fascists in Glasgow and Edinburgh 

Unite Against Fascism (UAF) Scotland has organised the events following attacks this weekend against anti-fascist protesters in Virginia, USA, in which one woman was killed and at least 19 others were injured.

Three voices backing the campaign to change the Gender Recognition Act share their stories with CommonSpace

“THE acceptance by the government of my self-declared gender represents an important validation that my truth is my right to determine, and that the foundation of my life as a woman is secure and protected. I am yet to achieve such validation.” 

Members of Orkney ViQueens speak to CommonSpace about how they’re finding their feet in a sport which is as new to them as it is to the archipelago

“I HAVE never done well with team sports, partly because I’m deaf and so I struggle with groups and communication, especially when the people are moving. When I started doing research, I found that the level of support and inclusivity in roller derby meant it didn’t feel overwhelming.”

Youth-led campaign on LGBT mental health calls for improved training for NHS staff

YOUNG PEOPLE have told of discrimination and poor awareness when accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), as a new campaign is launched to mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).

The campaign, called Mind our Health, has been launched today by LGBT Youth Scotland’s mental health commission, which consists of 10 young people from across Scotland.