Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Harriett Baldwin and David Evennett

Wednesday 18th April 2018 Commons Chamber

[David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

3. What steps she is taking to help enable access to education for women and children in developing countries.

[The Minister of State, Department for International Development (Harriett Baldwin)]

The UK is a major investor in education generally and in girls’ education specifically. Yesterday, the Prime Minister committed £212 million through the Girls’ Education Challenge to ensure that almost 1 million girls across the Commonwealth, including the most marginalised, can get the quality education they need to fulfil their potential.

[David Evennett]

I thank my hon. Friend for the work that she is doing in this important field. I join her in celebrating the Girls’ Education Challenge—the programme supported so strongly by her Department. Will she update the House on the future of this programme going forward?

[Harriett Baldwin]

My right hon. Friend is right to highlight the amazing work of the Girls’ Education Challenge, which is the world’s largest girls’ education programme. Yesterday’s announcement of £212 million will support 920,000 girls in Commonwealth countries and give 53,000 highly marginalised adolescent girls in Commonwealth countries the opportunity to have a second chance at learning.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Harriett Baldwin and David Evennett

Tuesday 20th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con)]

I welcome the work that my hon. Friend and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are doing in this field, but does she agree that in a place such as Africa, a huge amount more needs to be done?

[Harriett Baldwin]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. There is a huge amount to be done. Something like 136 million girls around the world are not in education. As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has said, this is truly the Swiss army knife of development, because it works in so many different ways. It helps to resolve issues of conflict and is also important to advance global prosperity.