In the election manifesto I stood on last year, empowering women and girls was outlined as a priority area for renewing expertise and focus within international development.
I understand concerns regarding cuts to the official development assistance (ODA) budget. However, the Government remains steadfast in its support for women and girls. It is focusing the aid budget on the most marginalised women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by ongoing conflicts and crises—for example, through food assistance to 800,000 displaced people on the Chad-Sudan border, almost 90% of whom are women and children.
An Equality Impact Assessment was published alongside the recent ODA allocation. This made clear that the 2025/26 process protected against disproportionate impacts on women and girls. It has shielded key investments including research on sexual and reproductive health, girls’ education and improvements in agriculture that benefit women. Programme spending has also been secured for gender-based violence, women’s rights organisations and women’s economic empowerment.
Looking ahead, the Government is strengthening the integration of gender equality across all of its work. This will include using the UK’s influence to press international partners and multilateral organisations to meet their commitments to women and girls. Promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights also remains a priority, supported through targeted funding, technical expertise and diplomatic engagement.
I warmly welcome the appointment of a UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, to ensure that women and girls worldwide are empowered and have their rights protected, again including sexual and reproductive health and rights, access to education, and freedom from gender-based violence.
Let me assure you that I stand by the commitment to return the aid budget to 0.7% of gross national income as soon as the fiscal circumstances allow it.
Thank you to those constituents who have contacted me about this important issue.
Best wishes
Rt Hon Hilary Benn
MP for Leeds South
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland