Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to progress its work on ending child marriage after the covid-19 pandemic.

The UK remains resolute in our commitment to end child marriage, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. The UK’s Strategic Vision on Gender Equality is clear on this.

Through our flagship investments, DFID committed a total of £39 million over 5 years (2015-2020) to support international efforts to end child marriage, in 12 high prevalence countries across the world. Since 2015 the programme has reached over 7.7 million girls with schooling initiatives, skills training and girls’ clubs to prevent and respond to child marriage.

This programme is now adapting to respond to COVID-19 by strengthening national child helplines and the social welfare workforce and raising awareness on child marriage risks.

DFID also tackles child marriage through a range of other programmes, including on women and girls’ empowerment and girls’ education. Making progress on ending child marriage will remain a key focus through and beyond COVID-19, including as part of our work to deliver the Prime Minister’s commitment to champion 12 years of quality education for girls.