Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Priti Patel and John Pugh

Wednesday 14th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[John Pugh (Southport) (LD)]

1. What steps she is taking to support grassroots women’s rights organisations which are working to tackle violence against women and girls in developing countries.

[The Secretary of State for International Development (Priti Patel)]

It is an honour to stand here today as the International Development Secretary. I believe passionately in my Department’s mission to end extreme poverty. Violence against women and girls is a global scandal that the Department for International Development is working to end. We invest in hundreds of organisations to improve the lives of millions of women and girls globally. I pay tribute to the leadership of my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) on the issue. I am determined to continue our work on this agenda.

[John Pugh]

Only 1% of gender-specific funds are spent on women’s rights organisations. Does the Secretary of State not think she could do more, and will she align with ActionAid, whose campaign “Fearless” has really taken off?

[Priti Patel]

I pay tribute to those involved in championing that campaign. There are more than 40 existing mechanisms through which funding is channelled to women’s rights organisations. I believe—rightly so—that we channel our funding in the right way to support the right objectives and outcomes for women and girls around the world.