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 strengthen partnerships with (a) humanitarian organisations, (b) women-led organisations and (c) local civil society in development work.

A vibrant civil society is one of the most important ingredients of a healthy democracy. The FCDO recognises that stronger, more inclusive engagement with partners and local organisations can better empower those that development and humanitarian efforts are designed to serve, so we are changing how we work with local civil society, prioritising their sustainability and helping them to advocate for the needs of their communities.

FCDO has also committed to putting women and girls at the heart of everything we do. This includes working to ensure that international responses better reflect the voices, needs, experience, and aspirations of affected populations, in particular women and girls. We are driving change by advocating for the systematic and meaningful participation of women in humanitarian action, which includes partnerships and direct funding of women-led organisations.

Through the UK's flagship partnership with the Equality Fund, funding has helped them reach over 1000 women's rights organisations across the globe, including in regions affected by conflict. The UK has supported the Start Network since its inception to deliver rapid NGO-led humanitarian crisis responses, with locally-led action central to this work. In December, the Prime Minister announced £37 million for the Grassroots and Counter Rollback Programme (2024-29). This will strengthen local and national civil society organisations and movements to expand access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and counter rollback, within their own communities and countries.