Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy that the declaration of the UNICEF Heads of Government meeting in September 2015 should prioritise the ending of abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence and torture against children; and if she will make a statement.

The UK Government fully supports efforts to end all forms of violence against children through its humanitarian and development programmes. Peaceful societies, good governance and the rule of law are all important development priorities for the UK and are central to protecting children globally. DFID is supporting programming in conflict-affected countries to assist and protect children, working with mandated child protection agencies including UNICEF. In Syria and the wider region more than £800 million in humanitarian aid is helping those affected, for example through the No Lost Generation Initiative which is providing education and psychosocial support to children to protect them from violence, abuse and exploitation.

In September Heads of Government will meet at the UN General Assembly to agree a Post-2015 development framework. The UK Government strongly supports goal 16 on peaceful and inclusive societies, which has a specific target on ending all forms of violence against children.