Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by UN Women, Five years on: Afghan women’s futures at a crossroads, published on 12 August, particularly regarding its findings of the systematic erasure of women from public life in Afghanistan; and what part they intend to play in advocating for women’s rights across every political and diplomatic forum as called for in the report.

Answered by Baroness Winterton of Doncaster - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government has noted the United Nations Women's report, Five Years On: Afghan Women's Futures at a Crossroads. We are deeply concerned at the deterioration in the rights and freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan since the Taliban's return to power, including their exclusion from education, employment and public life. The UK is committed to supporting the rights of Afghan women and girls. We consistently raise our concerns with the Taliban and work closely with international partners to champion the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in Afghan society. We support the work of the UN, including the UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, and continue to advocate for women's rights in multilateral forums, including at the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council. We remain a leading humanitarian donor to Afghanistan and support programmes that help protect and empower women and girls.

Found: Berriew Lord Dodds of Duncairn Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee Baroness Goudie

Found: Berriew Lord Dodds of Duncairn Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee Baroness Goudie