Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) international counterparts to help ensure that hunger outbreaks do not (i) remove girls from schooling and (ii) increase exposure of girls to (A) child, early and forced marriage, (B) child labour and (C) sexual exploitation and abuse.

Food insecurity has a disproportionate impact on women and girls. FCDO works with its delivery partners and collaborates with other departments to protect and support women and girls during crises, including hunger outbreaks. The UK used its G7 Presidency last year to ensure that action on gender-based violence was incorporated in the first ever G7 Compact on Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Crises. Further activity includes:

- Since 2019 the UK-led Girls' Education South Sudan Programme has provided almost 900,000 girls with cash transfers to support them to overcome poverty-related barriers to education which could include purchasing food items.

- Our investment in the UN Global Programme to End Child Marriage supports girls at heightened risk of child marriage due to food insecurity and drought.

- In May 2022 the UK pledged its support at the 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour, agreeing a 'Call to Action on the Elimination of Child Labour' including eliminating direct and indirect barriers to quality and compulsory education for girls.

- The UK is meeting with food security partners to ensure action is taken to prevent and minimise sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and will continue to work with our partners to support women and girls through this crisis.