Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development, what steps he is taking to promote (a) girls’ education and (b) family planning in developing countries in light of COP26 presidency.

Climate change contributes to gender inequality, and disproportionately and differentially impacts on women and girls. The UK champions the right of all girls to twelve years of quality education, including through the new G7-endorsed global targets to get 20 million more girls reading by the age of 10, and 40 million more girls in primary and secondary schools in low and lower-middle income countries by 2026. The UK is also a strong defender of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) on the world stage and we advance progress on SRHR through global partnerships, such as the Global Financing Facility, FP2030 and UNFPA. We will continue to use the UK's leadership to highlight these important issues, as well as the critical role of climate resilient health and education systems, at COP26 and beyond.