Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Gender

(asked on 2nd September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to continue to promote the principles that were in the Department for International Development's Strategic Vision for Gender Equality.


Answered by
Wendy Morton Portrait
Wendy Morton
This question was answered on 14th September 2020

Advancing gender equality and women's rights are a core part of the UK Government's mission, and Global Britain's role as a force for good in the world, including fulfilling every girl's right to 12 years of quality education. The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to this agenda.

As part of the launch of the new Department, we will refresh and build on existing strategies, as well as develop new approaches, but we do not see the core ambitions or principles of the Strategic Vision for Gender Equality changing. The challenges of advancing girls' education, sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR), women's political empowerment, women's economic empowerment and ending violence against women and girls (VAWG) are as acute now, if not more so, as when we published the strategy in 2018.

The new FCDO will continue to be a progressive force for women and girls, including for their sexual and reproductive health and rights, right to education and ensuring that their needs are central to our COVID-19 humanitarian response. We are committed to highlighting the needs and rights of all women and girls.

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