Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the outcomes of the ministerial round table on achieving gender equality and the empowerment of older women at the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Equalities Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith led the UK delegation at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), alongside UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls Harriet Harman, HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh and Ministry of Justice Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones.
We were pleased to host an event during CSW in partnership with Age International, which highlighted the voices, experiences and specific needs of older women in relation to violence against women and girls. We were regrettably unable to be represented at the Ministerial Roundtable on Older Women due to other commitments during CSW, but we look forward to the chair's summary and will carefully consider any agreed findings and actions in our domestic and international work.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the UK was represented at the ministerial round table of the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women; and if not, why not.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Equalities Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith led the UK delegation at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), alongside UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls Harriet Harman, HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh and Ministry of Justice Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones.
We were pleased to host an event during CSW in partnership with Age International, which highlighted the voices, experiences and specific needs of older women in relation to violence against women and girls. We were regrettably unable to be represented at the Ministerial Roundtable on Older Women due to other commitments during CSW, but we look forward to the chair's summary and will carefully consider any agreed findings and actions in our domestic and international work.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what contributions their delegation made to promoting the rights of older women at the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Equalities Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith led the UK delegation at the 70th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), alongside UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls Harriet Harman, HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh and Ministry of Justice Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones.
We were pleased to host an event during CSW in partnership with Age International, which highlighted the voices, experiences and specific needs of older women in relation to violence against women and girls. We were regrettably unable to be represented at the Ministerial Roundtable on Older Women due to other commitments during CSW, but we look forward to the chair's summary and will carefully consider any agreed findings and actions in our domestic and international work.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they will take to support women and girls in the use of overseas development aid, in particular in terms of the amount of aid allocated, specific projects and diplomacy.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the statements made by the Foreign Secretary and myself on 19 March when announcing the Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations for the period up to 2028-29, and the accompanying documents setting out the detail of those allocations. This included setting an increased target for at least 90 percent of the UK's bilateral ODA programmes to have a focus on women and girls by 2030.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they are carrying out to update approach of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative beyond 2026; and when they will publish that update.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Work to refresh the UK's approach to preventing sexual violence in conflict is underway. External consultation to inform that process has been conducted with the preventing sexual violence Initiative's (PSVI) Survivor Advisory Group, key civil society and academic partners, and former PSVI Special Representatives, and there will be further such consultation - including with parliamentary stakeholders - before the refreshed approach is finalised.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide additional funding to women-led organisations in Sudan who deliver life-saving assistance, including medical care, food and water, and support local-level governance.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the speech made by the Foreign Secretary to the UN Security Council on 19 February, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Lords library, in which she detailed £20 million of funding for a new multi-year programme, which includes assistance to women and girls affected by sexual violence in Sudan.
I also refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 2 March 2026 in response to Question 114073, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
UK support to channels which provide direct funding to local responders (including through international organisations) totals £55 million from our total £146 million in aid funding for Sudan this financial year. This includes £28 million to the OCHA-led Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) - to which the UK is the second largest donor - and over £21 million to the Mercy Corps-led Cash Consortium who provide significant support to local actors. The SHF channels 30 per cent of its funding to local actors. We have also recently launched two new partnerships totalling £6 million, through Proximity to Humanity and the First Response Fund, through which we can channel funding more directly to local responders. Under our new programme, HELP-S, we will continue increasing our support to local actors, with the aim that at least 30 per cent of programme spend goes to local actors by the end of the programme in 2029.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, what part they are playing in organising the Berlin Conference on Sudan in April; whether they will ensure that representatives of the Sudanese government will be invited to attend the conference; and what steps they are taking to ensure their participation contributes to an inclusive and credible process.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harman, met senior German Foreign Ministry officials to discuss coordinated action on atrocity prevention and accountability in Sudan, and ensuring meaningful participation by Sudanese women, and wider civil society voices, at the International Sudan Conference in April in Berlin that Germany is co-hosting with the UK, the African Union, the European Union, France and the US. This meeting also provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform discussions ahead of the Berlin Sudan Conference.
We remain in close discussion with our co-hosts to shape an inclusive and meaningful Conference. We continue to engage with all parties, to urge agreement to a ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, and adherence to international humanitarian law.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they will ensure that the voices and priorities of Sudanese women are reflected in the discussions and outcomes of the Berlin Conference on Sudan in April 2026, in line with the commitments set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harman, met senior German Foreign Ministry officials to discuss coordinated action on atrocity prevention and accountability in Sudan, and ensuring meaningful participation by Sudanese women, and wider civil society voices, at the International Sudan Conference in April in Berlin that Germany is co-hosting with the UK, the African Union, the European Union, France and the US. This meeting also provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform discussions ahead of the Berlin Sudan Conference.
We remain in close discussion with our co-hosts to shape an inclusive and meaningful Conference. We continue to engage with all parties, to urge agreement to a ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, and adherence to international humanitarian law.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, as a penholder on the UN Security Council for Sudan, what steps they are taking to ensure that Sudanese women’s civil society organisations are meaningfully represented at the Berlin Conference on Sudan in April 2026.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
On 24 February, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, Baroness Harman, met senior German Foreign Ministry officials to discuss coordinated action on atrocity prevention and accountability in Sudan, and ensuring meaningful participation by Sudanese women, and wider civil society voices, at the International Sudan Conference in April in Berlin that Germany is co-hosting with the UK, the African Union, the European Union, France and the US. This meeting also provided a platform for Sudanese women to inform discussions ahead of the Berlin Sudan Conference.
We remain in close discussion with our co-hosts to shape an inclusive and meaningful Conference. We continue to engage with all parties, to urge agreement to a ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access, and adherence to international humanitarian law.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the rights and needs of all ages of women, especially older women, in their engagement at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in March.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is committed to affirming the principles of the Beijing Declaration and promoting the rights and freedoms of women and girls across the world. We will seek opportunities throughout the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to highlight the rights and needs of older women throughout the UK delegation's engagement. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Office for Equality and Opportunity will consult with a range of civil society organisations, including organisations representing older women, before and during CSW itself.