"I completely agree with my hon. Friend. This week, girls in the UK are going to school, and it is a right that we take for granted. It is a right that so many countries take for granted. A country that bans education is putting a brake on its prospects.
"I am pleased to bring forward this debate on Government support for the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan because, put simply, the situation for women and girls there is catastrophic. As Human Rights Watch has said, it is
“the most serious women’s rights crisis in the world.”
"Absolutely. We were, of course, on the brink of eradicating polio. It exists in very few countries, and to see it surge again in countries such as Afghanistan risks so many development gains.
Can the Minister tell us how much is currently being spent on women’s rights and how much …..." Alice Macdonald - View Speech
"But still those women fight on. Women-led organisations continue to lead the way in so many different respects, delivering humanitarian assistance, supporting survivors and helping communities, all the while navigating life-threatening risks.
I know that the Minister cares deeply about Afghanistan and has huge experience there, and I urge him …..." Alice Macdonald - View Speech
"I thank the hon. Member for her contribution, and for everything she has done as chair of the APPG. She has been advocating for Afghan women and girls for a long time. I totally agree, and I will come on to healthcare a bit later in my speech.
"I agree, and I welcome my hon. Friend’s support. Gender apartheid speaks to the systemic dismantling of a whole system of women’s rights, not individual cases of persecution. We should listen to the people who are calling for this, because it is a unifying call from many Afghan women.
"I entirely agree: it is a war on women, and we must make clear that we will not tolerate it.
There have been some welcome moves, including the announcement by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in January last year that he had applied to the Court for arrest …..." Alice Macdonald - View Speech
"I thank the hon. Member for that important point. He is right. The Government have set out new proposals on immigration that have a focus on safe routes, and it is important that we stand with female human rights defenders from Afghanistan. Many of them came over here before there …..." Alice Macdonald - View Speech
"I welcome the Minister’s commitment to tackling the housing crisis that we inherited. I have had many emails from people in Norwich about the need to build much-needed homes but also to protect our natural environment. As he probably knows, Norfolk is home to 10% of England’s chalk streams. He …..." Alice Macdonald - View Speech
"Male violence against women and girls touches every corner of our country and every constituency. In my area, Broadland district council has done great work, including getting gold accreditation on housing and developing a women’s safety strategy. I welcome the funding already announced for local authorities, but can my hon. …..." Alice Macdonald - View Speech