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Written Question
Developing Countries: Human Trafficking
Tuesday 4th February 2020

Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps he is taking to tackle the (a) trafficking and (b) exploitation of adolescent girls in humanitarian crises.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

DFID is at the heart of the UK’s international efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7 by taking immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, as well as on other relevant SDGs covering human trafficking of women and girls and exploitation of children.

In DFID’s Strategic Vision on Gender Equality, we set out our ambition to do more to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls during emergencies, when the challenges and needs are particularly acute. Ending this violence is essential in making the world a fairer, more prosperous and safer place – something that is absolutely in our national interest. That’s why we have increased our resources and expanded our programmes to tackle violence against women and girls in more than 30 countries.

Since 2017 the Government has more than doubled UK aid spending to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking – committing just over £200 million to date.  This includes work to prevent the trafficking of adolescent girls. Examples of our current work to protect vulnerable children in protracted crises include:

- a £10 million Children on the Move Programme (in partnership with UNICEF) over the period 2017-2020 to protect up to 400,000 children at risk of violence and slavery in the Horn of Africa; and

- a £12 million UK Aid Connect Programme over the period 2018-2022 to address child labour in fragile and conflict affected states in Africa (such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)).


Written Question
Developing Countries: Human Trafficking
Tuesday 4th February 2020

Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much his Department has spent from the public purse to help prevent (a) trafficking and (b) exploitation of adolescent girls in humanitarian crises.

Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

DFID is at the heart of the UK’s international efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7 by taking immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking, as well as on other relevant SDGs covering human trafficking of women and girls and exploitation of children.

In DFID’s Strategic Vision on Gender Equality, we set out our ambition to do more to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls during emergencies, when the challenges and needs are particularly acute. Ending this violence is essential in making the world a fairer, more prosperous and safer place – something that is absolutely in our national interest. That’s why we have increased our resources and expanded our programmes to tackle violence against women and girls in more than 30 countries.

Since 2017 the Government has more than doubled UK aid spending to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking – committing just over £200 million to date.  This includes work to prevent the trafficking of adolescent girls. Examples of our current work to protect vulnerable children in protracted crises include:

- a £10 million Children on the Move Programme (in partnership with UNICEF) over the period 2017-2020 to protect up to 400,000 children at risk of violence and slavery in the Horn of Africa; and

- a £12 million UK Aid Connect Programme over the period 2018-2022 to address child labour in fragile and conflict affected states in Africa (such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)).


Written Question
Slavery: Females
Wednesday 27th February 2019

Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to her Department's publication entitled DFID Strategic Vision for Gender Equality, published in March 2018, what steps her Department is taking to integrate its work on modern slavery and on women and girls.

Answered by Harriett Baldwin

DFID’s Strategic Vision for Gender Equality commits DFID to step up its work on gender equality across the board, recognising that progress on gender equality is instrumental to achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals. Tackling modern slavery is a cross-government priority. We know that women and girls are disproportionately affected by certain forms of modern slavery – for example sexual exploitation and domestic servitude. That is why DFID is leading the effort to drive change and end the exploitation of women and girls. As an example of what we have already achieved, we have reached over 380,000 vulnerable women and girls through our flagship £10 million Work in Freedom Programme. This aims to reduce the risk of slavery amongst migrant women workers across South East Asia by educating and training women in their communities and working with businesses and recruiters. Last year we announced that we would extend this programme through a further £13 million investment.


Written Question
Slavery: Females
Wednesday 27th February 2019

Asked by: Jamie Stone (Liberal Democrat - Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the particular effect of modern slavery on adolescent girls; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Alistair Burt

DFID is at the forefront of the UK’s international efforts to end violence against, and abuse and exploitation of adolescent girls. Adolescence is a critical time when a person’s experiences, and the decisions taken by them and for them, affect the rest of their lives. In supporting and protecting adolescent girls, we are empowering the decision makers, peacebuilders and business leaders of the future.

The UK is taking action to end modern slavery in all its forms in line with Sustainable Development Goals 16.2, 8.7 and 5.2. We are leading efforts to increase support for, and implementation of, the Prime Minister’s “Call to Action to end Forced Labour, Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking” launched in 2017 and now endorsed by over 80 countries. We continue to work with communities, governments, civil society and the private sector to push for action at all levels to protect the most vulnerable, including adolescent girls. Since 2017 we have more than doubled UK aid spending to tackle modern slavery – committing just over £200 million to date. DFID funded programmes make up the bulk of this aid and includes work to reduce vulnerability to exploitation and address the permissive environments which allow exploitation to exist and thrive.