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Development Aid: Women

Asked by Liz JarvisLiberal DemocratForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 18 June 2025UIN 57427

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has produced an impact assessment on the potential impact of reductions in UK Official Development Assistance spending on international programmes that support women and girls.

Answered by Stephen Doughty

The UK remains committed to empowering women and girls around the world through our international work. We recognise that supporting women and girls is essential for development and we will continue to do so by using our voice to be a champion for women and girls across the world; working with women's organisations, particularly local organisations; and mainstreaming gender equality to put women and girls at the heart of everything we do.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is focused on ensuring that every pound is spent in the most impactful way. Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used are being worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review and resource allocation processes. Equality Impact Assessments - which consider impacts on women and girls - are an essential part of how we make decisions on ODA allocations. We intend to publish final 2025/26 ODA programme allocations in the FCDO Annual Report and Accounts this summer.

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