Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to recognise, promote and support the paid and unpaid work of older women as part of its economic empowerment programs.

Through the Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women programme the UK Government invested in research to better understand the care economy, and the interventions that will most help women to become economically empowered and productive. The Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women programme undertook 14 research projects in 50 countries and promoted the use of research by decision makers. DFID is commissioning further research in a new phase which will include a focus on women’s unpaid care work.

DFID’s leadership on improving collection and use of disaggregated sex and age data seeks to empower older women (among other groups) to escape poverty. Our Inclusive Data Charter Action Plan sets out the steps we will take to work across the international system to develop tools, methods, and guidance on inclusive data.

UKAid is supporting the expansion of social protection programmes to empower older people. For example, the UK has supported the Government of Uganda over the last 10 years to deliver a Senior Citizen Grant. The programme currently supports 168,340 older people each year.