Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to support developments in (a) women’s health and (b) reproductive health services in developing nations.

The UK uses multiple levers - policy, health and development diplomacy, as well as its Official Development Assistance budget to support developments in women's health and reproductive health services. In April 2025 at the UN Commission on Population and Development, the UK cosponsored the launch of the Global Midwifery Accelerator, encouraging partnerships and investment to end preventable maternal and neonatal deaths. In September 2024, the Government also signed the SheDecides Champion Statement on Safe Abortion Day alongside nine countries to commit to supporting comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights, including safe abortion.

In December 2024, the Prime Minister announced the Grassroots and Counter Rollback Programme. This will strengthen grassroots and national civil society organisations and movements to expand access to women's health and reproductive health services, and counter the rollback on sexual and reproductive health and rights. It focuses on neglected issues, such as safe abortion, and marginalised groups whose rights and access to services are denied or curtailed.