Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what mechanisms her Department uses to (a) target and (b) support education of girls from religious minorities in Pakistan.

DFID has a range of mechanisms which support girls from religious minorities. DFID liaises with the Pakistan Minorities Teachers Association to understand the needs of teachers and students from minority religions and address them through its various work streams. DFID supports a quota for children from minority religions for higher education scholarships through the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund. The Sindh Education Non State Actors Programme is also building partnerships with non-government schools which aim to reach children from marginalised and minority communities, with a special focus on girls.