Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what future plans he has to continue engaging with non-governmental organisations concerned with gender equality and women's rights over the next year.

Discrimination and violence against women and girls remains one of the most widespread human rights abuses. Tackling this issue is a priority for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and central to our work to advance gender equality and empower women. We will continue to consult non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on our approach. I welcome their expert advice.

FCO officials in London and across the diplomatic network regularly meet with a wide range of NGOs to discuss gender equality and women’s rights. This will continue. As will the regular exchanges with NGOs held at the FCO and in Geneva before sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. The UK Mission in New York consults regularly with international NGOs and in conjunction with Government Equalities Office, holds nightly briefings for UK NGOs attending the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in March each year.

The Forced Marriage Unit runs a quarterly partnership board, involving a range of NGOs; and Conflict Department work closely with Gender Action for Peace and Security – an organisation that represents a number of NGOs. In addition, within the UK, the FCO works closely with the Government Equalities Office (GEO) which carries out an extensive consultation exercise with NGOs in advance of Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) each year.