Viscount Craigavon

The UK government welcomes UNFPA’s 2020 State of the World Population report which shines a light on harmful practices such as child marriage and FGM. The report highlights that respect for human rights and efforts to shift harmful social norms are central to the efforts needed to end FGM by 2030.

The UK is a longstanding supporter to the UN Joint Programme to Eliminate FGM and our £50 million UK aid package includes support for social norms change and the promotion of rights, laws and policies that protect women and girls from FGM. The UK will continue to support efforts and work with our partners to advance gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the Africa-led movement to end FGM by 2030.

The UK government welcomes UNFPA’s 2020 State of the World Population report which shines a light on harmful practices such as child marriage and FGM. The report highlights that respect for human rights and efforts to shift harmful social norms are central to the efforts needed to end FGM by 2030.

The UK is a longstanding supporter to the UN Joint Programme to Eliminate FGM and our £50 million UK aid package includes support for social norms change and the promotion of rights, laws and policies that protect women and girls from FGM. The UK will continue to support efforts and work with our partners to advance gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and the Africa-led movement to end FGM by 2030.

The UK Government is fully committed to the principles of the International Conference on Population and Development's (ICPD) Programme of Action and will continue to uphold these principles in its development work. We consider 2014, as the twentieth anniversary and review year of the ICPD, as an important moment to recognise progress and to address remaining gaps and emerging challenges.

We have been fully engaged in the intergovernmental process for the review of the ICPD, including actively participating in the regional and thematic conferences, the 47^th Commission on Population and Development which took place in April of this year, as well as preparations for the upcoming special session at the United Nations General Assembly in September. The Stockholm Statement of Commitment was the outcome document agreed by participants attending the Sixth International Parliamentarians' Conference on the Implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, which also took place in April. Official representatives from the UK Government did not participate in the Stockholm parliamentarians' meeting. However, the Stockholm Statement does endorse a number of the elements we have been supporting throughout our engagement in the ICPD review process and will continue to support, including that sexual and reproductive health and rights become a reality for all, without distinction of any kind.

We are considering evidence submitted to the Government’s consultation on ‘Home use of both pills for early medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation’. We will publish our response the future of the approval as soon as possible.