Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to improve literacy for girls and women.

The FCDO prioritises foundational learning for all - basic reading, maths and socio-emotional skills. We support this through the UK Girls' Education Challenge programme, which has helped over a million girls and women make progress in education. Through our 2021 G7 Presidency we secured endorsement of two global objectives, including 20 million more girls reading by age ten by 2026. We have invested in leading research to understand how to improve learning globally. In 2022, we launched the Commitment to Action on foundational learning. The UK's commitment to the Global Partnership for Education and bilateral programmes champions quality basic education.