International Women’s Day

Baroness D'Souza Excerpts

Wednesday 5th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for that timely question. We are struggling to see each other over the Dispatch Boxes—we have some equality issues that we need to address. But seriously, this has been such an important piece of work, and I absolutely commend all of those who have put so much time and energy in. The independent review is a very wide-ranging piece of work and we are looking forward to a Written Ministerial Statement. There will be a joint letter going out, and I honestly believe there needs to be a significant amount of time for assessing how we take this crucial piece of work forward.

[Baroness D'Souza (CB)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that one way to change the attitude towards girls and women would be to educate boys? That would be particularly important in a country such as Afghanistan, where girls are forbidden to have an education, at least at secondary school level. Educating boys, which might be permissible, could help to change their attitude towards their future partners and wives.

[Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)]

The noble Baroness raises a point very dear to my heart. We have to think really seriously about how we take this work forward. She raises it in an international context, obviously, but one of the most empowering pieces of work that I have been involved in is about involving young men, when their partner becomes pregnant, for example, to help them understand the stresses and difficulties that they will both face as they go forward. There is so much scope in this area. We need to do more in our schools, and we are committed to taking this forward.