Flagship Scottish daily The Scotsman has today rebranded itself The Scotswoman to mark International Women’s Day.

The Johnston Press-owned title has published a special edition today designed to celebrate womens’ achievements and highlight gender equality issues.

Content for the special edition was decided by the women on the staff across all sections of the newspaper.

It included contributions from the female leaders of three of Scotland’s main political parties: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, and Conservative leader Ruth Davidson.

The paper also carried an exclusive poll gauging Scottish opinions and attitudes to gender equality and International Women’s Day.

It is the second time the paper has undergone such a rebrand to mark the occasion.  The first issue of The Scotswoman in 1995 was edited by Lesley Riddoch and featured a splash about Tony Blair’s plans to increase the proportion of female Labour MPs to 50pc.

Scotsman deputy editor Donald Walker said: “Gender equality remains an issue in almost every workplace in Scotland, and The Scotswoman aims to highlight the objectives of

International Women’s Day and raise awareness of where Scotland stands on this issue and where we could or should be.

“It is an opportunity to focus minds on a matter our political parties attach great importance to, yet one where evidence suggests progress remains slow, or indeed has stalled.”

Talat Yaqoob, chair and co-founder of the Women 50-50 campaign, said: “I’m pleased to see The Scotsman focusing its publication on women and women writers.

“Ideally, we need to see more women commentators and more women’s opinions on matters across politics, in our papers on a daily basis.”

Lesley Riddoch with the first edition of The Scotswoman which she edited in 1995.