Today, we highlight Syanness, who never expected to become a health equity campaigner when she moved to Scotland. It wasn’t until she saw a social media post about the closure of Hopeman and Burghead Surgeries that her journey began.
💬 "I didn’t think health equity would be an issue here. But when I learned about the closures, I started digging into the situation—health services, demographics, policies—and realised that more and more rural communities were losing essential services."
Syanness became deeply involved in the campaign to improve access to health services in Moray. Her work has put her in touch with other advocacy and campaign groups across Scotland. As she notes, Scotland’s vast rural and island landscape, and its dispersed and ageing population, require a specific healthcare response:
💬 "It’s crucial that health services are brought closer to our rural communities to prevent serious, complex cases from overwhelming our healthcare system. Removing services only increases the barriers for those most vulnerable.”
Her advocacy is driven by a need to give a voice to those who are often left out of the conversation. Syanness emphasises the importance of not just equality, but true health equity for rural and island populations, where distance and infrastructure create unique challenges. Yet her campaign work, like Rebecca’s and Angela’s, focuses not just on the challenges, but also on solutions:
💬 “It’s not just about proximity, but addressing the systemic inequities that exist. We don’t campaign for the sake of campaigning. We make sure that we understand the root cause, the purpose and the solutions."
The campaign hasn’t been without its challenges. Decision makers often see campaigners as critics rather than partners, which has made building trust difficult:
💬 "The lack of transparency from health authorities creates distrust. Communities need to be treated as equals, given the same information, and engaged in finding real solutions."
But the rewards? Seeing rural and island communities re-energised and finding hope again:
💬 "The best part is seeing communities who had given up, bounce back to life. When people feel like their voices matter, they start to believe again."
Her advice to women campaigning for health equity:
✅ Understand the root causes, goals, and impacts of your campaign
✅ Question your own stance to strengthen your arguments
✅ Persevere through the challenges—there are others like you
✅ Build networks and join forces for greater impact
✅ Community involvement is vital: "The communities of Hopeman and Burghead have been brilliant. Without their support, we would’ve given up long ago."
#UNWomen #SRAWomen #InternationalDayOfRuralWomen #RuralWomenInHealth #ScottishRuralAction
Neil Gray, Mairi Gougeon, United Nations, The Scottish Government, Scottish rural network, Scottish Rural and Islands Transport Community, Scottish Rural Health Hub, The Scottish Women's Convention, SRUC
Economic Recovery Agent | Program/Project Manager | Transformation/Change Manager | Innovative Ecosystem Builder (Human & Financial Capital)
3wHonored to be an ERC Fellow working with Communities Unlimited in rural community sustainability and beyond. Upward and forward! 👏🏼